Bengaluru erupts in Diwali-like celebrations as RCB lifts their first-ever IPL title after 18 years, defeating Punjab Kings in a thrilling final.
Eighteen years of heartbreak, near-misses, and endless chants of "Ee Sala Cup Namde" finally found their glorious end on Tuesday night, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinched their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title. The city of Bengaluru erupted in a Diwali-like celebration as RCB edged out Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs in a nail-biting final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.
Streets across Bengaluru turned into seas of red and gold as fans poured out of their homes, waving RCB flags, bursting crackers, dancing to drums, and celebrating like never before. Video on social media showed jubilant supporters lighting fireworks and chanting RCB and Virat Kohli’s name, whose long wait for an IPL trophy finally ended.
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RCB Finally Lift the Elusive IPL Trophy
Chasing glory in their first-ever IPL final win, Royal Challengers Bengaluru set a competitive target of 190/9 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, with key contributions across the batting order. Virat Kohli top-scored with a composed 43 off 35, anchoring the innings even as Punjab’s bowlers struck regularly. Rajat Patidar (26 off 16) and Liam Livingstone (26) provided crucial middle-order runs, while a late 10-ball 24 from Jitesh Sharma gave RCB a strong finish.
Punjab Kings’ bowling duo of Arshdeep Singh (3/40) and Kyle Jamieson (3/48) kept things tight with timely breakthroughs, ensuring the chase remained within reach.
In response, Punjab started brightly, with openers Priyansh Arya (24) and Prabhsimran Singh (26) attacking early. But regular wickets pegged them back. Shashank Singh stood tall with an unbeaten 61 off just 30 balls—hammering six sixes and nearly pulling off a miraculous finish—but found little support at the other end.
RCB’s bowlers kept their nerve under pressure. Krunal Pandya (2/17), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/38), and Yash Dayal (1/18) delivered tight spells, backed by sharp fielding to strangle Punjab's chase.
The win ended an 18-season drought for RCB and handed franchise icon Virat Kohli his long-awaited IPL trophy—sparking an emotional outpouring from fans and players alike.
