Good morning. The morning after the night before always arrives fast: the celebrations are over, the Monday grind is back, and the big question of what to do next at 7:30 PM starts creeping in. The IPL has wrapped up, but before that everyday dread settles, here’s a quick two-minute sweep of the IPL-verse—one final look back at what unfolded on Sunday night.
Last night in five lines
- RCB successfully defended their title and did it with a sense of ease.
- Chasing a target, GT were bowled out and restricted to just 155.
- The batting gamble at No. 4 for Buttler didn’t pay off.
- Venkatesh Iyer and Kohli gave RCB a blazing start before the innings swung back and forth.
- RCB fought back through Rashid, but Kohli’s cold-blooded finishing never let the chase breathe.
The Kohli moment: winning six, biggest impact
A Virat Kohli special in the final really did happen—and it ended the way big finales are supposed to, with the batter striking the winning six. Kohli produced his quickest-ever IPL fifty, reaching the landmark off just 25 balls, and then guided the chase to completion with an unbeaten 75 off 42 deliveries.
After collecting the Player of the Final award, Kohli reflected on how often he had imagined this exact scenario. “I’ve thought of this moment many times,” he said, adding that once RCB lifted the IPL trophy, he wanted to be the one standing there with the winning runs. “Tonight it was possible.”
Pulse Awards: bucket-list glory to on-field nerves
- fated-Furies-fulfilled: Virat Kohli—ticking off a long-held dream by launching the title-winning hit for himself and for millions watching along.
- prescribed-patience: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi—winning a car he says he can’t drive for at least the next three years.
- vice-grip: Sai Sudharsan—keeping his bat secure and avoiding a dismissal through hit-wicket for a third match in a row.
- un-vice-grip: Jordan Cox and Shubman Gill—needing help from the ground to hang onto catches, which were later treated as dropped despite the fingertip effort.
- slippery-syllables: Ravi Shastri—during the post-match chat, addressing Shubman Gill as “Shubnam.”
Talking point: the title defence built on roles
Rasikh Dar and Venkatesh Iyer were pivotal in RCB’s successful title defence. RCB had to manage without Yash Dayal, a key piece from their title run last season. Rasikh stepped into that gap, first filling the role and then evolving into a dependable performer across phases as the tournament progressed.
Iyer’s contribution followed a different arc. He waited for his chance patiently and then made himself useful wherever the team required him—starting as an Impact Player, moving into the middle order to accelerate, and finally taking on the opener’s responsibility when the situation demanded it.
If Rasikh’s campaign was about replacing a missing piece, Venkatesh Iyer’s was about staying ready until the gap appeared.
The chatter: quotes from the dressing room
- Rajat Patidar said he “never dreamt” of captaining RCB and lifting a trophy. He described it as gratitude, adding that “it was all written.”
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi—after collecting plenty of awards—admitted to feeling a touch of pressure. He said he wasn’t nervous in the middle, but during his interview: “Feeling a little pressure because I’m here for an interview.”
- Virat Kohli highlighted the challenge of being pushed by “super young players,” calling it an “exciting situation” because it gives him “something to improve on and something to work towards.”
- Krunal Pandya compared winning IPL trophies to having kids—explaining that each one is special and that you “can’t pick” a favourite.
- Rajat Patidar signed off with the familiar line: “Ee Salanu Cup Namdu.”
Stat Snack, Gossip Column and what’s next
Stat Snack
- IPL 2026: Most runs in an edition — 27,450
- IPL 2026: Highest runs per wicket in an edition — 31.26
- IPL 2026: Highest run-rate in an edition — 9.88
- IPL 2026: Most fours in an edition — 2,332
- IPL 2026: Most sixes in an edition — 1,426
- IPL 2026: Most individual hundreds — 15
- IPL 2026: Most 200-plus totals — 65
- IPL 2026: Most successful 200-plus chases — 17
Gossip Column
With an already tight cricket schedule leaving little room to add more IPL matches, the powers that be are reportedly weighing a major change: splitting the tournament into two parts, with only the second half being played in the Sept–Oct window. The idea is to keep fans entertained across the year while causing minimal disruption. The “birdies” are reportedly taking a break after “dropping that banger.”
Today’s watchlist
*sobs*
Reckless prediction for tonight
It was all just a dream. You wake up at 6:30 PM this evening, check the date, and realise it’s March 28, 2026.
