RCB wins maiden IPL title, breaks 18-year jinx

Virat Kohli and Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally ended their 18-year wait for glory, clinching their maiden title with a thrilling six-run victory over Punjab Kings in the final on Tuesday.

“This win is as much for the fans as it is for the team. It has been 18 long years. I’ve given this team my youth, prime and experience. I’ve tried to win it every season, and I gave it everything I have. To finally have the IPL title is an unbelievable feeling. I never thought this day would come, I was overcome with emotion after the last ball was bowled,” Kohli said after the famous win.

Punjab Kings' bowlers put in an impressive performance to restrict Royal Challengers Bengaluru to 190 for nine.

None of the Punjab Kings batters could withstand the sustained pressure from the RCB bowlers, barring a few notable contributions from Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, and Josh Inglis. Shashank Singh fought a lone battle as wickets tumbled around him, offering resistance in an otherwise faltering innings.

Despite these efforts, the Shreyas Iyer-led side struggled to build momentum and managed only 184/7 in their 20 overs.

Krunal Pandya emerged as the standout performer with the ball for RCB, delivering a disciplined spell of 4 overs for just 17 runs and claiming two crucial wickets.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru suffered an early blow, losing Phil Salt for 16 with the score at 18. Mayank Agarwal (24) and Virat Kohli (43) then steadied the innings with a crucial partnership. However, Yuzvendra Chahal struck in his very first over, dismissing Agarwal with the score at 56.

Captain Rajat Patidar (26) joined Kohli, and the duo added a valuable 40-run stand for the third wicket. At the halfway mark, RCB were well-placed at 87 for 2. The momentum continued until Kohli fell with the score at 131, putting a slight dent in the innings progression.

When it seemed all was over for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Liam Livingstone (25) and Jitesh Sharma (24) injected some late momentum by adding a quickfire 36 runs in just two overs. 

Romario Shepherd also chipped in with a brisk 17 off 9 balls, hitting a few lusty blows towards the end. Despite their efforts, Arshdeep Singh’s three-wicket haul in the final overs helped restrict Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a total of 190.

Cover Credits - IPL.com