Virat Kohli and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru group let out a long-held breath after securing a place in the IPL 2026 final on Tuesday. RCB sealed a dominant 92-run win over the Gujarat Titans, earning a return to the summit game for the second straight year.
As soon as the 10th Gujarat wicket fell, Kohli headed straight for the VIP area and wrapped up wife Anushka Sharma in a celebratory hug. He also made time to greet Ananya Birla, linked to the Aditya Birla Group, which has recently taken over RCB through a consortium arrangement.
Several clips that emerged online showed Kohli moving quickly across the boundary line to reach Anushka. The pair embraced and marked the qualification together, before Kohli appeared to exchange a brief word with Ananya Birla. The moment stood out even more because her company also sponsors the Gujarat Titans.
Quick facts
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru reached the IPL 2026 final on Tuesday.
- RCB beat Gujarat Titans by 92 runs to qualify for the title match.
- Kohli celebrated the decisive moment by hugging Anushka Sharma in the VIP section after the 10th Gujarat wicket fell.
- Kohli also greeted Ananya Birla, whose group is connected to RCB’s recent consortium purchase and also sponsors Gujarat Titans.
- It is RCB’s second consecutive appearance in the IPL final.
- RCB topped the league stage, then went on to win the qualifier phase despite losing their previous-stage final match to Sunrisers Hyderabad.
- Kohli’s IPL 2026 output: 600 runs in 15 matches, including one century and four half-centuries.
- RCB’s previous season’s breakthrough came after a long wait, with the franchise lifting its maiden IPL trophy in 2025.
RCB’s run to the final arrives about a year after the franchise finally ended its prolonged wait for the championship. The return to the last match has come with a different feel this time—more measured, more self-assured, and backed by a calmer brand of execution.
They led the league phase before turning the knockout stretch into a statement, crushing Gujarat Titans en route to this stage. That said, RCB did drop their final game in the preceding phase, going down to the Sunrisers Hyderabad, before resetting and pushing forward.
Kohli’s season: numbers and emotion
At 37, Kohli has not shown signs of slowing; instead, he has delivered what stands among the most memorable seasons of his IPL career. Across 15 matches, he amassed 600 runs, including a century along with four separate half-century knocks.
But the impact is not just in the totals. There is an edge to the way he plays—intensity that looks deliberate, a sense of purpose in his approach, and emotion that seems to carry through every big moment. For Kohli, each run appears to land with extra weight, and each celebration carries more meaning than the scoreboard alone can explain.
That emotional backdrop is amplified by what happened after the joy of 2025. When RCB finally lifted their maiden IPL title last year, Bengaluru erupted in celebration—fans spilling into the streets and gathering outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium to welcome the heroes home. For many, it was the long-awaited dream that fans had chased for 18 years.
Now, the question for RCB and their supporters is whether the celebrations can repeat. Awaiting them is another opportunity to add another IPL crown, with the final offering yet another chance to turn hope into history.
