Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinched their second consecutive Indian Premier League (IPL) title with a five-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans in a one-sided final held at Ahmedabad on Sunday.

Kohli’s Unbeaten 75 Seals Win

Virat Kohli delivered a masterclass in batting, scoring an unbeaten 75 off 42 balls, which included nine fours and three sixes; his innings helped Bengaluru chase down Gujarat’s total of 155-8 with 12 balls to spare.

Kohli sealed the victory with a six over long-on, as the Narendra Modi Stadium, the world’s largest cricket ground, erupted in celebration. The stadium recorded an official attendance of more than 90,000 spectators, many clad in Kohli’s iconic number 18 jersey.

“Stuff you dream of. Thought of this moment many times, wanting to hit the winning run,” said the 37-year-old Kohli, who was named player of the match. “Felt really relaxed coming in. The team we have gives confidence to see any kind of situation through. Knew exactly what to do in the chase. Such is the demand [with] super young players pushing you to up the ante.”

Bengaluru’s Strong Squad and Leadership

Bengaluru, led by captain Rajat Patidar, has been on a roll since winning their first IPL title at their 18th attempt last year. They topped the 10-team table after this season’s league stage and continued their dominance in the final.

Patidar, who joined an elite group of IPL captains to win back-to-back titles—joining MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma—said: “This year was more calm with the way we played throughout the tournament. My way of captaincy is different. I am not expressive but aware of the game situations.”

Patidar celebrated his 33rd birthday with a victory, and his calm leadership was instrumental in guiding RCB to the title. The team’s quicks, including Rasikh Salam, Josh Hazlewood, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, set up the victory with a disciplined attack. Salam took 3-27, while Hazlewood and Kumar each claimed two wickets.

Kohli’s Impact and Young Stars Shine

Kohli’s impact on the team was clear as he led from the front, both with the bat and in the field. He and fellow opener Venkatesh Iyer provided a flying start with a 62-run partnership, but the stand was broken when Iyer was dismissed by Mohammed Siraj and Devdutt Padikkal fell to Kagiso Rabada.

Rashid Khan then struck twice in one over to send back Patidar for 15 and Krunal Pandya, giving Gujarat a brief reprieve. However, Kohli and Tim David steadied the innings with a 41-run partnership before David fell for 24. Kohli then guided Bengaluru to victory alongside Jitesh Sharma.

Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the 15-year-old from Rajasthan Royals, topped the run charts with 776 runs and was named player of the tournament and emerging player award. Gujarat’s Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan finished second and third in the run charts with 732 and 722 runs, respectively.

Despite the loss, Gujarat’s batting coach Matthew Hayden praised Bengaluru’s performance, saying: “We have apex predators but couldn’t get going in the powerplay. I thought it was an incredible bowling performance by RCB.”