Virat Kohli once again stole the spotlight as Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Gujarat Titans by five wickets to secure back-to-back IPL crowns. The RCB captain stayed unbeaten on 75, and reached his fastest IPL fifty—coming off just 25 balls—to earn the Player of the Match award. In a fitting finish, Bengaluru’s winning runs were also sealed with a six, in the same style associated with MS Dhoni’s title-winning moments.
Quick facts
- RCB beat Gujarat Titans by five wickets to win consecutive IPL titles.
- Kohli finished 75 not out and struck his fastest IPL fifty off 25 balls.
- Kohli was named Player of the Match.
- RCB chased Gujarat Titans’ 155 with Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer driving the chase.
- Kohli survived a near run-out/drama moment after Shubman Gill’s catch was ruled NOT OUT.
Before the fireworks at the end, Kohli found himself at the centre of a tense moment. He was on 63 when Shubman Gill appeared to complete the catch, seemingly cutting short an exceptional innings. The decision initially looked straightforward, but Kohli sensed something wasn’t right.
After consulting the umpire, Kohli was told to walk. However, just as he began heading back, he turned around quickly and challenged the call. The third umpire was brought in, and the situation shifted from routine to gripping as the review began.
The replays revealed that Gill’s catch wasn’t clean. After Kohli mistimed an Arshad Khan delivery, Gill dropped low and tried to get his hands under the ball, but a portion of it appeared to have touched the ground. Multiple angles were checked, and the third umpire ultimately ruled Kohli NOT OUT—keeping him at the crease to finish the job.
Even as the footage continued to play on the big screen, Kohli could be seen gesturing towards the images and then walking over to Gill, clearly disputing the Titans captain’s assessment that the catch was taken properly. The moment the green “NOT OUT” graphic flashed, Kohli’s celebration was instant—he pumped his fist, relieved to have escaped the dismissal and ready to push the chase over the line.
Kohli capped off a remarkable season with 675 runs. It was his fourth consecutive campaign of scoring more than 600 runs, and it left him fourth among the leading run-getters, behind Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (776), Gill (732), and Sai Sudharsan.
Led by Kohli, RCB chased down Gujarat’s 155 with composure and momentum. Gujarat began batting first with a top-order collapse, with both Gill and Sudharsan losing their wickets cheaply. Washington Sundar’s fifty helped the Titans move beyond the 150-run mark, but the innings never truly threatened to become uncatchable.
RCB’s chase was powered by a quick early surge from Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer, as the pair raced to 62 in only 4.3 overs. Rashid Khan struck for Gujarat by removing captain Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya in the same over, briefly tightening the contest.
Still, Kohli stayed unbeaten through the chase, taking the pressure off the rest of the batting lineup and ensuring RCB completed the title-winning run chase. With the finish sealed emphatically and Kohli once more in control, Bengaluru joined only an elite group—joining CSK and MI as the third franchise to win back-to-back IPL titles.
