Bengaluru retain IPL trophy as Kohli seals victory in style

AHMEDABAD: Royal Challengers Bengaluru successfully defended their Indian Premier League (IPL) title after defeating Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the final, with Virat Kohli playing a match-winning unbeaten knock to guide his side to victory.

Kohli scored 75 not out off 42 balls and sealed the chase in style with a six at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, helping Bengaluru lift their second consecutive IPL trophy.

Speaking after the match, Kohli described the moment as a dream come true.

“I’ve thought of this moment many times… to be standing there hitting the winning runs. It’s a dream day for us,” he said.

The 37-year-old looked composed after the victory, a contrast to the emotional scenes last year when Bengaluru ended a 17-season wait for their maiden IPL title.

Having represented the franchise since the inaugural IPL season in 2008, Kohli said retaining the trophy carried special significance given the team’s long journey, which included defeats in the finals of 2009, 2011 and 2016.

Kohli once again led Bengaluru’s batting charts this season, scoring 675 runs. He also registered the fastest half-century of his IPL career, taking his overall tally to 68 fifties and nine centuries in the tournament.

The former India captain said his continued success has been driven by a desire to keep improving and adapting to the changing demands of T20 cricket.

Kohli remains the highest run-scorer in IPL history with 9,336 runs and said embracing the aggressive approach of the modern game has been key to maintaining his performance levels.