RCB Celebrates Historic IPL Victory After 18 Years

Rajkumar Sharma Reflects on RCB's Triumph

Rajkumar Sharma, the childhood coach of Virat Kohli from the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), expressed his joy over the team's long-awaited victory in the IPL final. He noted that Kohli has been a pivotal player for RCB since the league's inception, and the entire nation celebrated this momentous win alongside him.

A Historic Win After Nearly Two Decades

After 18 years, RCB finally claimed their first Indian Premier League (IPL) title, defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. The match showcased a remarkable performance from Krunal Pandya and a strong bowling display from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, and Yash Dayal.

Emotional Victory for Virat Kohli

"The entire nation, not just RCB supporters, wished for Virat to win this trophy. He was overwhelmed with emotion, happiness, and excitement, having waited for this moment for so long. Since 2008, he has been a consistent performer, rarely having a disappointing season. He has truly been the backbone of RCB since IPL began. We will celebrate this victory in a grand manner," Rajkumar Sharma shared.

Match Highlights

In the final, PBKS won the toss and opted to bowl first. Arshdeep Singh (3/40) and Kyle Jamieson (3/48) delivered crucial breakthroughs, while Yuzi Chahal (1/37) also played a key role in limiting RCB's scoring.

Virat Kohli contributed 43 runs off 35 balls, supported by skipper Rajat Patidar (26 off 16), Jitesh Sharma (24 off 10), and Liam Livingstone (25 off 15), helping RCB set a target of 190/9 in their 20 overs.

During the chase, PBKS began strongly with Priyansh Arya (24 off 19) and Prabhsimran (26 off 22) forming a 43-run partnership. Josh Inglis (39 off 23) and Shashank Singh (61* off 30) fought valiantly, but despite Shashank's explosive final over, PBKS fell short, finishing at 184/7.