RCB wins first IPL title

After 18 years of heartbreak and near misses, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally claimed their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title, defeating Punjab Kings by six runs in a heated final at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday. 

Led by first-year captain Rajat Patidar, the Royal Challengers were put in to bat after Punjab Kings won the toss. The innings began with Phil Salt providing a brisk start, but he fell early for 16 to Kyle Jamieson.

Virat Kohli, the franchise’s talisman since 2008, held down the top order with a composed 43 off 35 balls, setting the foundation for a competitive total. Mayank Agarwal (24) and Patidar (26) chipped in, but wickets fell steadily as Punjab’s bowlers, especially Arshdeep Singh (3/40) and Jamieson (3/48), kept RCB in check.

Despite losing some steam in the death overs, thanks to Arshdeep’s triple strike in the final over, RCB managed to post 190/9 in their 20 overs. Late cameos from Romario Shepherd and others ensured the total was defendable, though it fell short of the 200-mark often considered par at the venue.

Punjab Kings’ chase began confidently, with openers Priyansh Arya (24) and Prabhsimran Singh (26) giving their side a solid platform. However, RCB’s bowlers, led by Krunal Pandya’s match-winning spell of 2/17 in four overs, turned the tide. Krunal’s disciplined bowling, supported by Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/38), triggered a middle-order collapse, reducing Punjab from 72/1 to 98/4 in a matter of overs.

For Virat Kohli, this triumph was particularly emotional. After three previous final defeats (2009, 2011, 2016) and years of personal and team milestones, the IPL trophy had eluded him. His consistency throughout the season, averaging over 50 and finishing as RCB’s top scorer in the final, was instrumental in their success. Kohli’s journey from a 19-year-old debutant to finally lifting the IPL trophy is now in the books of cricket’s legendary tales.

Patidar’s captaincy also deserves some praise. In his first season as skipper, he was able to manage resources diligently, particularly in the crunch moments of the final, and made bold decisions that paid off. 

RCB’s victory marks them as the eighth team to win the IPL, and it was their bowlers, who were often singled out for criticism in previous seasons, that put in the work this time around to bring home the title.