AHMEDABAD: In the end, it had to be him.
Virat Kohli fittingly applied the finishing touches as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) sealed a second straight IPL title, chasing down 156 to beat Gujarat Titans by five wickets in a one-sided final at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday night.
‘King’ Kohli smashed Arshad Khan over long-on for six to finish things off with two overs to spare, capping a dominant performance.
Unbeaten on 75 off 42 balls (9×4, 3×6), Kohli produced a sparkling knock under pressure, bringing up a 25-ball half-century, the fastest of his IPL career, to ensure RCB’s bowlers’ earlier brilliance did not go in vain. As chants of his name echoed across a packed stadium of over 90,000, the modern great delivered yet another defining performance on the biggest stage.
RCB thus became only the third team after Chennai Super Kings (2010-11) and Mumbai Indians (2019-20) to win back-to-back IPL titles, a remarkable turnaround for a franchise long haunted by near-misses.
Put in after losing the toss, Gujarat Titans never recovered from early blows and were restricted to a modest 155 for eight. Josh Hazlewood (2-37) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2-29) set the tone in the Powerplay with disciplined hard lengths on a lively surface offering bounce and carry. The prized wickets of Shubman Gill (10) and Sai Sudharsan (12) effectively broke the backbone of GT’s batting.
Rasikh Salam then ensured there was no respite for the hosts, finishing with an impressive 3-27. The seamer’s wickets of Nishant Sindhu, Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan underlined a standout campaign in which he picked up 19 wickets in 12 matches, staking a strong claim for India selection. Krunal Pandya complemented the pacers superbly, returning 1-23 and removing Jos Buttler (19) with a smart piece of bowling.
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If GT crossed 150, it was largely due to Washington Sundar’s fighting 50 off 37 balls. Walking into a precarious situation, the allrounder showed composure and resolve, helping the Titans recover from 63 for two at the halfway mark to add 92 in the final 10 overs. However, the effort was never enough to turn the tide. The Titans’ downfall stemmed from poor shot selection and an inability to build partnerships. Gill’s ill-judged pull off Hazlewood, resulting in a simple catch to Rajat Patidar, set the tone. Sudharsan soon followed, top-edging a bouncer from Bhuvneshwar. At 26 for two, GT were already on the back foot, exposing an untested middle-order.
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Their highest partnership was a mere 29 for the third wicket between Buttler and Sindhu, a reflection of an innings that never gained momentum. There were just three sixes in total, highlighting RCB’s control with the ball and GT’s lack of intent. RCB’s chase was emphatic from the outset. Kohli and Impact Player Venkatesh Iyer (32 off 16) added a brisk 62 in just 27 balls to seize early control. Though Rashid Khan briefly raised hopes with a double strike in the ninth over, when he dismissed Patidar (15) and Krunal (1), there was little doubt about the eventual outcome with Kohli in sublime touch.
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