In a momentous finale that marked the culmination of an 18-year wait, Virat Kohli and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) secured their first Indian Premier League (IPL) title. On a night to remember, RCB finally claimed their long-awaited triumph. They poured champagne over each other as they celebrated a historic victory that has long escaped the team, founded in 2008.
Virat Kohli has been one of the most important players for RCB since their first ever IPL match in April 2008. In the process, he found a decisive role in winning this victory. He has regularly donned the franchise’s colors in each iteration of the tournament. This incredible accomplishment places him in exclusive company, as the only player to ever achieve this feat. Batting like his very best self in the final match, Kohli helped lead India’s chase. He top-scored for RCB with a well-crafted 43 runs as RCB posted a respectable total of 190 for 9 in their allotted 20 overs.
Kohli has been a giant of the cricketing world in recent years. He most recently guided India to wins in the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy. His domestic performance, including the IPL, has been nothing short of stellar, including an average of over 50 in the last two IPL seasons. In the recent campaign, Kohli led from the front, proving his ability with a meaty average of 54.75. He ended up third on the season’s top run-scorers list, racking up 657 runs. He has appeared in 267 matches in his IPL career. In that spell he has scored 8,661 runs at a strike-rate of 39.54, with the bat, scoring eight centuries and 63 half-centuries.
This championship win is particularly special for Kohli, who has suffered heart break in three IPL finals before. RCB fell short against the Deccan Chargers in 2009, the Chennai Super Kings in 2011, and the Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016. This time around, the story line flipped, and Dhoni had his hands raised in the air, finally able to savour the taste of an IPL title.
In the immediate aftermath of the match, Kohli spoke about extreme happiness and relief of winning the trophy after waiting several years for it.
“I never thought this day would come. This means so much to me. I’ve given each and every ounce of my energy to this team. To have finally won the IPL is an amazing feeling.” – Virat Kohli
You could feel that sentiment spread across the stadium, as fans cheered and partied with their city’s new favorite team. Kohli made it clear how much this win meant not only to the players but to their long-standing fans.
“This win is as much for the fans as it is for the team.” – Virat Kohli
Kohli’s dedication to RCB remains unwavering. His emotional connection to the team and city was evident when he stated:
“This is far more special than winning it with anyone else, because my heart is with Bangalore, my soul is with Bangalore. As I said, this is the team I’m going to play for ’til the last day I play the IPL.” – Virat Kohli
The celebratory mood that welcomed RCB’s victory into existence was a reflection of the years of preparation, persistence, and passion that went into making this moment possible. Kohli commented about the intense competition on display in the IPL. He understood that high-pressure competitions demand nothing less than a dogged, non-stop commitment from athletes.
“As sportsmen we grind for something, and this is a very high-intensity, high-quality tournament. I’m someone that wants to win the big tournaments, the big moments. This one was missing and tonight I’m going to sleep like a baby.” – Virat Kohli
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