For the very first time in 18 years of trying and missing out, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally went ahead and clinched the very first IPL title on a fine Tuesday evening with Rajat Patidar leading them to this big win that ended the long wait after so many occasions when they had been so close in 2009, 2011, and 2016.
Since the first IPL in 2008, Virat Kohli was finally able to take a bow. He wrote a heartfelt message on Instagram thanking his teammates and the loyal fans who stood by the team through thick and thin. In one of the pictures, Kohli alongside captain Rajat Patidar and wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma can be seen smiling with the trophy in their hands. The trio sported bright red shirts that read “Champ1ons,” with the number “1” indelibly marking this special win.
Kohli wrote, This team made the dream possible, a season I’ll never forget. We had a great time over the last 2.5 months. This one’s for the RCB fans who never left our side during tough times. This is for all the years of heartbreak and disappointment. I’ve waited 18 years to lift this trophy and celebrate, and it’s been worth it. The RCB winning by a mere six runs against Punjab Kings was an extremely emotional moment for Kohli. He had already started tearing up even before the last ball was bowled, realizing the title was actually theirs.
Kohli carved out 43 runs off 35 balls without big hits in the final, but he treated us with a terrific season. Defending the target of 191 runs was particularly key by the bowlers, Josh Hazlewood, Krunal Pandya, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar especially as they finally awarded RCB a win they’d been deprived of for a very long time.
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Both Kohli and the crowd deserved to see that last big hit. Kohli couldn’t pull off his big hits, but he did have one great season. The bowlers, especially Josh Hazlewood, Krunal Pandya, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, defended that fairly small target of 191 runs and in doing so finally gave RCB a victory that they had been waiting for so long.
