Ahmedabad:
History was made at the Narendra Modi Stadium as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally ended their 18-year-long wait and clinched their maiden IPL title, defeating a spirited Punjab Kings (PBKS) side in a thrilling finale that had fans on the edge of their seats.
RCB’s victory was not just a win; it was a statement — a testament to perseverance, belief, and passion. After countless heartbreaks over the years, RCB found redemption on cricket’s grandest stage.
The Battle Begins: RCB Set a Competitive Total
After PBKS chose to bat first, RCB stuck with their winning combination from the qualifiers. Although opener Phil Salt (16) started aggressively, he was soon dismissed by Kyle Jamieson. Mayank Agarwal (24) and Virat Kohli built a cautious partnership, steadying the innings before Yuzvendra Chahal struck.
The momentum began to shift when Rajat Patidar (26) joined Kohli, providing a temporary lift to the run rate. But the real spark came from Liam Livingstone and Jitesh Sharma, who added quick-fire runs. Livingstone’s 25 and Jitesh’s 24 off just 10 balls helped RCB cross the 170 mark.
In the final overs, Romario Shepherd exploded with a blistering 17 off 9 deliveries, pushing RCB to a formidable 190/9 in 20 overs.
PBKS Fights Back but RCB Holds Their Ground
PBKS openers Priyansh Arya (24) and Prabhsimran Singh (26) made an electric start, scoring 43 in the first five overs. However, RCB’s bowlers tightened the screws soon after. Josh Hazlewood drew first blood, while Krunal Pandya struck crucial blows, including that of Prabhsimran.
Romario Shepherd continued his dream night by dismissing PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer, and Krunal Pandya returned to take the massive wicket of Josh Inglis, with Livingstone completing a sensational catch at long-on.
PBKS tried to recover through Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh, but Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s double blow in the 17th over, removing Wadhera and Marcus Stoinis, proved to be the game-changer.
Needing 29 off the final over, Shashank Singh fought valiantly with 20 runs off Hazlewood, but it was too little too late. As the last ball was bowled, Virat Kohli collapsed to his knees, overcome with emotion — RCB had done it.
A Night of Heroes
Krunal Pandya was named Player of the Match for his clutch performance with the ball. From Virat Kohli’s calm leadership to Livingstone’s fielding brilliance, RCB’s victory was a team effort — one that will be remembered for generations.
After nearly two decades of near misses and heartbreaks, Royal Challengers Bengaluru are finally IPL champions.
