In a moment that will be etched in IPL history, Virat Kohli finally lifted the IPL trophy as Royal Challengers Bengaluru edged Punjab Kings by 6 runs in a pulsating final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. It was RCB’s maiden title after 18 seasons — and fittingly, it was Jersey No. 18 who made it happen in the 18th edition of the tournament.
And who better to acknowledge the occasion than India’s original No. 10 — Sachin Tendulkar.
“Congratulations to @RCBTweets on their first-ever IPL title. Fitting that jersey no. 18 lifts the trophy in the 18th edition. Well played and well deserved! Well played to @PunjabKingsIPL as well for a well-fought season,”
Tendulkar posted on X.
Kohli: From Heartbreak to History
Kohli, who has played for RCB since the league’s inception in 2008, poured his heart out after the win:
“I have given my youth, my prime. I gave it everything I had — I never thought this day would come,”
an emotional Kohli said after the final ball.
He scored 43 off 35 to anchor RCB’s innings of 190/9, finishing the tournament with 657 runs in 15 matches, making him the team’s highest run-scorer and the third-highest overall in IPL 2025.
Final Showdown Highlights: RCB vs PBKS
- RCB Innings: 190/9
- Top scorer: Virat Kohli (43)
- Punjab bowlers: Arshdeep & Jamieson (3 wickets each)
- PBKS Innings: 184/7
- Shashank Singh (61* off 30)
- Game-changer: Krunal Pandya (2/17)
Despite a late blitz from Shashank Singh, RCB’s bowlers held their nerve, with Krunal Pandya’s economical spell turning the tide.
Full-Circle Moment
After the win, Kohli invited AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle to the podium, sharing the glory with the two legends who helped build RCB’s legacy.
It was a storybook ending — not just for Kohli, but for every RCB fan who had waited nearly two decades.
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