Kohli's Dream Fulfilled at 18 — Bengaluru Wins Their First IPL Title. Shreyas Misses Out on the Rare Record of Winning the Trophy With Both Teams.

On a night etched in the memories of every Royal Challengers Bengaluru fan, Virat Kohli’s tears told the story. With four balls still left in the game, he covered his face with his hands — emotional, overwhelmed, and finally relieved. The IPL title, which had eluded him for 17 long seasons, was finally his. In his 18th year, Kohli’s dream came true as Bengaluru clinched their first-ever Indian Premier League trophy.

Though the final was held at Ahmedabad’s massive Narendra Modi Stadium, it often felt like a home game for Bengaluru. The stands were painted red — not just by the jerseys of both teams, but by the sheer dominance of RCB fans in the crowd. Each Punjab wicket triggered deafening cheers, and chants of "RCB, RCB" and "Kohli, Kohli" echoed louder with every passing over. With over 90,000 fans in attendance, the electrifying atmosphere clearly played a role in Bengaluru’s remarkable title win.

It was clear even before the match began that the IPL would crown a new champion this year. The only question was: who would it be — Shreyas Iyer’s Punjab Kings or Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar’s Bengaluru? On paper, Shreyas had the advantage of recent experience, having led Kolkata Knight Riders to the title just a season ago. But cricket is never a one-man game. It takes a team to lift the IPL trophy, and that’s exactly what Bengaluru showed — a complete team performance, when it mattered the most.


Pre-match, Matthew Hayden had predicted a 220-run pitch. But Bengaluru’s innings didn’t quite reflect that. Kohli, despite a brilliant season, looked cautious in the final. He scored 43 off 35 balls with only three boundaries, kept in check by Punjab’s clever short-ball plan. Eventually, he fell to a short delivery from Azmatullah Omarzai, who grabbed a sharp return catch.

Yet, Kohli ended as Bengaluru’s top scorer. No other batter crossed 30, but small contributions throughout the lineup pushed the total to 190 — a defendable score, thanks to the pressure and unity of the squad. Jitesh Sharma’s late hitting gave them a crucial edge, just as he had in the earlier playoff matches.

Bengaluru’s triumph wasn’t about one heroic performance — it was the culmination of years of heartbreak, belief, and finally, execution. For Virat Kohli, who has won every major cricketing honor except this one, the night was more than just a victory. It was the completion of a legacy.

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