Virat Kohli Celebrates RCB's Back-to-Back IPL Triumph
RCB's Historic Victory in IPL
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 1: After the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinched their second consecutive Indian Premier League (IPL) title, star batsman Virat Kohli expressed that the pressure felt different compared to the previous year.
Kohli's exceptional performance, often referred to as a 'Chasemaster' display, was pivotal in RCB chasing down a challenging target of 156 runs, placing them alongside the elite clubs like Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) who have also achieved back-to-back IPL victories.
Despite facing some challenges with wickets falling at crucial moments, Kohli ensured a stylish finish, further cementing his status as one of the all-time greats in T20 cricket, adding yet another championship title to his impressive list of records and achievements.
In his post-match comments, Kohli noted, 'I mentioned to a few teammates that the pressure feels different this year. We recognized the talent within our squad. Finishing at the top of the table was no accident. We believed that if we executed our strategies, we were the best team in the competition. Our performance in the group stage validated that belief.'
Kohli also reminisced about some nail-biting matches, particularly a thrilling encounter against the Mumbai Indians that went down to the wire.
'Once we secured that victory against MI in our second match, our confidence surged. Following that, we had a solid win against KKR, which set us on the path to the finals,' he added.
Reflecting on the numerous 'Player of the Match' awards earned by RCB players, including standout performances from Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Jacob Duffy, Kohli expressed pride in the team's depth and balance.
'With world-class bowlers like Hazlewood, Bhuvi, and Duffy, along with Krunal Pandya's reliability, we have a well-rounded team. Rasikh Dar's brilliance this season was also noteworthy. Every batsman contributed, and I feel fortunate to be part of such a strong unit, which is why we exude confidence on the field,' he concluded.
Batting first, GT managed to score only 155/8 in their 20 overs, with Washington Sundar (50* off 37 balls) and Nishant Sindhu (20 off 18 balls) being the only players to surpass the 20-run mark. RCB's bowlers, including Rasikh Dar Salam (3/27), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/29), and Josh Hazlewood (2/37), consistently took wickets.
RCB began their innings strongly, with a 62-run partnership between Venkatesh Iyer (32 off 16 balls) and Kohli. Although GT fought back, reducing RCB to 132/5 at one point, Kohli's unbeaten 75 off 42 balls led RCB to victory with two overs remaining.
This marks RCB's second IPL title and their fourth overall in Indian franchise cricket, which includes two Women’s Premier League (WPL) titles.