Virat Kohli, celebrated for his expressive reactions on the field, once again grabbed attention during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Qualifier 1 showdown against Gujarat Titans—this time after he pulled off Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic “SIUUU” celebration. Kohli’s passion for the gesture has become a familiar feature of his on-field showmanship, and the moment arrived when RCB’s grip on the match tightened.
The RCB batter is a well-known admirer of the football superstar and has, over the years, repeatedly recreated Ronaldo’s signature celebration in cricket. When Gujarat Titans chased a daunting 254-run target set by Bengaluru, the Titans stumbled early, losing five wickets during the powerplay. As that pressure mounted, Kohli was seen celebrating with Ronaldo’s famous “SIUUU” move, echoing the football icon’s trademark style.
This tribute is not new for Kohli. During the 2023 ODI World Cup, Kohli joined forces with Mohammed Siraj—also a major Ronaldo fan—to reproduce the “SIUUU” celebration after Siraj dismissed Wesley Barresi in India’s match versus the Netherlands. More recently, in the Champions Trophy 2025, Kohli again leaned into the Ronaldo theme, performing both the “SIUUU” and “Calma” celebrations during India’s contest against New Zealand.
Back in the IPL, RCB delivered a dominant performance in Qualifier 1, defeating Gujarat Titans by 92 runs to book a place in their second consecutive final. The defending champions will now take on the winner of Qualifier 2 in the title match on May 31. Kohli’s impact with the bat was also key to Bengaluru’s early momentum, coming right after the dismissal of Venkatesh Iyer.
Kohli struck quickly, scoring 43 off 25 balls to help set the tempo for Bengaluru’s substantial total. However, the standout innings came from RCB captain Rajat Patidar, who produced a destructive spell in Dharamsala. Patidar finished unbeaten on 93 off 33 deliveries, taking the team to 254 runs.
Gujarat’s chase was checked early as well. Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck in his second over, clean bowling Shubman Gill, but the innings also featured an unusual moment when Sai Sudharsan was involved in a bizzare hit-wicket runout. Ultimately, Gujarat Titans failed to keep up with the required run rate and were left short in the chase.
With the defeat, Gujarat Titans will now get another shot in Qualifier 2, where they will face the winner of the Eliminator for a place in the final.
