NEW DELHI: At long last, after 18 years of waiting, it’s celebration time for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). A match-winning spell from Krunal Pandya, combined with a disciplined pace attack by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, and Yash Dayal, sealed RCB’s maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title with a thrilling six-run victory over Punjab Kings (PBKS) at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday.For Punjab Kings, the title drought continues. Despite a remarkable season under the astute leadership of Shreyas Iyer and coach Ricky Ponting, PBKS fell agonisingly short in their first final appearance in 11 years.But on this historic night, it was RCB skipper Rajat Patidar who lifted the trophy—marking a defining moment not just for the franchise but also for Virat Kohli, who finally got his hands on the elusive IPL crown after 18 loyal years with the team.In one of the most emotional scenes of the season, Kohli dropped to his knees in tears as the final ball confirmed RCB’s win. Having played his entire IPL career for a single franchise—a rarity in the league—Kohli’s long, patient journey came full circle. His teammates swarmed him in celebration, as one of the game’s greatest icons added yet another milestone to his legendary career.“This win is as much for the fans as it is for the team. It’s been 18 long years. I’ve given this team my youth, prime and experience. I’ve tried to win it every season, gave it everything I have. To finally have it is an unbelievable feeling. Never thought this day would come, I was overcome with emotion after the last ball was bowled. Gave each and every ounce of my energy and it’s an amazing feeling,” Kohli said after the match. “What ABD has done for the franchise is tremendous, told him ‘this win is as much yours as it is ours. I want you to celebrate with us’. He’s been the POTM most times in the franchise despite being retired for four years. Tells you the impact he’s had on the league, team and me. He deserves to be on the podium, lifting the cup.“[Where do you put that in terms of the scale of monumental moments in your career?] Well, it’s right up there, if I have to be honest. As I said, I’ve given everything that I had for the last 18 years. I’ve stayed loyal to this team, no matter what. I’ve had moments where I thought otherwise, but I stuck to this team. I stood behind them, they stood behind me. And I always dreamt of winning it with them. And this is far more special than winning it with anyone else because my heart is with Bangalore, my soul is with Bangalore. And as I said, this is the team I’m going to play for till the last day that I play the IPL. “So this one is absolutely right up there because you know, as a sportsman, when you grind for something, and this is a very high intensity, high quality tournament, which is of great value in world cricket today. And I’m someone that wants to win the big tournaments, the big moments, and this one was missing. And tonight, I’m going to sleep like a baby.“[On what inspires him] Well, I have an opportunity to play this game for not many years. So there is an end date to our career, as you know. And by the time that I hang up my boots, I want to sit at home and say I gave it everything I had. So I look for ways to improve. I can’t play as an impact player, I want to feel 20 overs and make an impact in the field. That’s the kind of player I have been. And God’s blessed me with that perspective, with the talent. And then you find different ways to help the team. “This management, this group of players has been outstanding, to be honest. They’ve gotten the right kind of players, match winners, people who take the game on. In the auction, a lot of people questioned our tactics. But by day two, we were very happy with what we had. And we had a lot of confidence in the strength of this group. And I want to give a big shout out to this team. It would not have been possible without each and every one in the squad, in the playing XI, the management backing the players, keeping us positive throughout when the going got tough. So it’s everyone’s. I don’t want to stand here and talk about myself. There’s a lot that’s spoken about me already. This win is for Bangalore. And it’s for each and every one of the players, and the families, and the whole management as well,” Kohli said.Heading into the game, RCB captain Rajat Patidar had stressed that his team wanted to win the title for him and they did in emphatic fashion.
