An 18-year wait. A six-run win. A moment that broke Kohli. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru have finally done it. After years of heartbreak and trolling, RCB got their hands on the elusive IPL trophy with a dramatic six-run win over Punjab Kings in the final at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium.
But even as the celebrations began, all eyes were on one man, Virat Kohli.
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With PBKS needing 29 off the last over, Josh Hazlewood had the ball. Kohli couldn’t watch. Cameras caught him with his hands over his face, tears visible. For a man who’s worn red since 2008, the release was raw. This was no ordinary win, it was the end of a wait that defined a generation of RCB fans.
‘I’ve given this team my youth, prime and experience’
For Kohli, the emotions were deeper than just a title. Speaking to Star Sports after the match, the 36-year-old opened up about what the win meant, not just for him, but for someone who wasn’t on the field.
“This win is as much for the fans as it is for the team. I’ve given this team my youth, prime and experience. Tried to win it every season, gave it everything I could. Never thought this day would come, I was overcome with emotion after we won,” Kohli told the broadcaster.
But the moment that stood out was his tribute to AB de Villiers, the RCB great who retired in 2021 but still casts a long shadow over the franchise.
“What ABD has done for the franchise is tremendous,” Kohli said. “Told him, ‘this win is as much yours as it is ours. I want you to celebrate with us’. He’s been the POTM most times in the franchise despite being retired for four years. Tells you the impact he’s had on the league, team and me. He deserves to be on the podium, lifting the cup.”
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RCB’s title finally belongs to Bengaluru. And a part of it, as Kohli made sure to remind us, belongs to AB too.