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Virat Kohli led Royal Challengers Bangalore to their second IPL title as the defending champions beat Gujarat Titans by five wickets in Ahmedabad.
Kohli hit a 25-ball half-century – his 68th and fastest in the IPL – en route to an unbeaten 75, sharing crucial partnerships of 62 and 41 with Venkatesh Iyer and Tim David as RCB reached their target of 156 with 12 balls to spare.
Kohli’s heroics and the foundation of RCB’s victory was laid by their bowling attack, as Rasikh Salam (3-27), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2-29) and Josh Hazlewood (2-37) kept GT under constant pressure from the moment they entered.
Openers Shubman Gill (10) and Sai Sudharsan (12) were removed within four overs, while Jos Buttler – the final member of Gujarat Titans’ ‘Big Three’ – was stumped after adding just 19.
Washington Sundar put up some resistance, his unbeaten 50 off 37 balls helping GT to a respectable 155-8 in their 20 overs.
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Defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore got off to a flying start in their battle against Gujarat Titans for the Indian Premier League title, dismissing Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan in the second and third overs.
But it fell well short of a competitive total despite the efforts of spinner Rashid Khan, who removed Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya in the ninth over to briefly revive GT’s hopes of derailing RCB’s chase.
However, Kohli – the king of the chase – brought home the innings with nine fours and three sixes, as RCB joined Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians as the third team in history to successfully retain the IPL title.
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RCB took the ‘huge wicket’ of Jos Buttler’s 19 as Krunal Pandya topples the last of GT’s big three.
Kohli: We knew we were the best team!
Virat Kohli, speaking on Sky Sports Cricket:
“I told a couple of guys it didn’t feel like the same pressure as last year. We knew what kind of ability we had on the team.
“We’re top of the table and there’s a reason we’re here first. We said if we stick to our cricket, if we execute our plans, we’re the best team in the competition.
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Virat Kohli kept RCB in check with 18 runs off four consecutive balls.
“There’s a reason we’ve done so well so far. We’ve come top of the league and the skill, maturity and composure of the boys showed again tonight.
“It was a clinical performance throughout the tournament.”
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Virat Kohli won the IPL final with a six for RCB to make it back-to-back titles.
Gill: Early wickets cost GT
Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill, speaking at the trophy presentation:
“I think if we could have done 180 it would have been a good match. We lost a couple of wickets early on and then we lost momentum in the middle, we couldn’t really get going.
“But we knew that if we got a couple of early wickets in the Powerplay we were always in the game.
“If he restricted them to 50 or 55 runs (in the powerplay) we still had a chance, but I think they went a little too far in the powerplay.”
Watch India’s white ball tour of England from July 1-19 on Sky Sports. Didn’t get the sky? Stream cricket and more now.
India Tour England 2026
All times UK and Ireland; All live on Sky Sports
- 1st T20I (Wednesday 1st July) – Chester-le-Street, Durham (5.30pm)
- 2nd T20I (Saturday 4 July) – Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester (2.30pm)
- 3rd T20I (Tuesday July 7) – Trent Bridge, Nottingham (5.30pm)
- 4th T20I (Thursday July 9)- Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol (5.30pm)
- Fifth T20I (Saturday July 11) – Utilita Bowl, Southampton (2.30pm)
- First ODI (Tuesday, July 14) – Edgbaston, Birmingham (11am)
- Second ODI (Thursday July 16)- Sophia Gardens, Cardiff (1pm)
- Third ODI (Sunday July 19)- Lord’s, London (11am)
