Virat Kohli Powers Bengaluru to Consecutive IPL Championship Victory

AHMEDABAD: (Web Desk) – Virat Kohli produced an unbeaten match-winning innings as Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured their second consecutive Indian Premier League title with a commanding five-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans in the final on Sunday.

Playing at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru first restricted Gujarat to 155-8 before comfortably chasing down the target with 12 balls remaining.

Kohli anchored the chase with an unbeaten 75 off 42 deliveries, striking nine boundaries and three sixes. The star batter completed his fifth half-century of the season and sealed the victory in style with a six, sparking jubilant celebrations among Bengaluru players and supporters.

The triumph marked another milestone for Kohli and Bengaluru, who captured their maiden IPL title last year after years of near misses and have now successfully defended their crown.

A crowd of more than 90,000 spectators witnessed the final, with Kohli’s famous number 18 jersey dominating the stands throughout the evening.

Bengaluru made a strong start to their chase through a 62-run opening partnership between Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer, who contributed a rapid 32 from just 16 balls.

Mohammed Siraj broke the partnership by dismissing Iyer, while Kagiso Rabada removed Devdutt Padikkal to briefly revive Gujarat’s hopes.

Later, Rashid Khan struck twice in an over, dismissing captain Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya to create pressure on Bengaluru.

However, Kohli found support from Tim David, who scored 24, before guiding his side home alongside Jitesh Sharma.

Earlier, Bengaluru’s bowlers laid the foundation for victory with a disciplined display. Rasikh Salam starred with figures of 3-27, while Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed two wickets each.

Hazlewood struck early by dismissing Gujarat captain Shubman Gill for 10, while Kumar removed fellow opener Sai Sudharsan for 12.

Despite a resilient unbeaten 50 from Washington Sundar, Gujarat struggled to build momentum against Bengaluru’s relentless bowling attack and finished with a below-par total.

The defeat marked Gujarat’s second runners-up finish in three IPL finals. Their only championship success remains their title-winning debut campaign in 2022.

Meanwhile, the race for the Orange Cap ended with teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi topping the scoring charts with 776 runs. Gill finished second with 732 runs, Sudharsan third with 722, while Kohli ended the season fourth with 675 runs, including one century.