Virat Kohli, Bowlers Propel Royal Challengers Bengaluru To Second Straight IPL Title

The Rajat Patidar-led Royal Challengers Bengaluru became the third franchise after Chennai Super Kings and the Mumbai Indians to win consecutive Indian Premier League titles, as they beat Shubman Gill’s Gujarat Titans by five wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, May 31.

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Virat Kohli starred with an unbeaten 75 off just 42 balls, striking nine boundaries and three sixes while bringing up the fastest IPL half-century of his career, as RCB chased down a modest target of 156 to finish on 161/5 in 18 overs.

Rasikh Salam Dar starred with figures of 3/27, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood chipped in with two wickets each to restrict a top-dependent Gujarat Titans team to 155/8.

In reply, RCB were powered by a brisk 62-run opening partnership between Venkatesh Iyer (32) and Kohli, with the latter anchoring the chase and sealing the win with the winning six.

Earlier, the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru produced a superb all-round bowling performance to restrict Gujarat Titans to 155/8.

A top-heavy GT lost their in-form batters inside the powerplay and questionable rejigging of the batting line-up saw the 2022 winners lose the plot. Washington Sundar top-scored for the Titans with 50*, but none of their batters could impose themselves on the match.

If the Titans’ total of 155 for eight reflected uncertainty and caution, Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s chase of 161 for five in 18 overs showcased purpose and self-belief.

Those qualities have long been synonymous with Virat Kohli’s batting, and his unbeaten 42-ball knock provided the latest example. As he has throughout his career, Kohli walked to the crease with a clear determination to guide his team home.

That intent was evident in the way he took apart Kagiso Rabada, striking 4, 4, 6, 4 in succession after opening partner Venkatesh Iyer had already punished the South African in the second over, which cost 18 runs.

Kohli and Venkatesh raced to a 62-run opening stand in just 4.3 overs, effectively extinguishing Gujarat Titans’ hopes of defending their total. With Rabada neutralised during his opening spell, the Titans lacked the resources to make an impact in the Power Play, during which RCB surged to 70 for two.

The dismissals of Venkatesh and Devdutt Padikkal, followed by the quick exits of captain Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya, left RCB wobbling at 91 for four.

Yet Kohli remained unshaken amid the brief collapse, anchoring the innings and frustrating GT’s attempts to claw their way back. The 37-year-old brought up his fifth half-century of the season with a pulled boundary off pacer Arshad Khan.

Before Kohli’s masterclass in the chase, however, RCB’s bowlers had laid the foundation by exploiting a sluggish pitch to restrict Gujarat Titans to a below-par 155 for eight.

Batting was far from straightforward on Pitch No. 6 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, a surface combining red and black soil, and GT’s innings reflected those challenges.

Washington Sundar bucked the trend with an unbeaten 50 off 37 balls, including five fours, but the lack of substantial support around him proved costly.

The Titans may also have felt the effects of playing Qualifier 2 on Friday and a delayed departure from Mullanpur due to inclement weather. Nevertheless, the credit belonged largely to the RCB bowlers, who consistently found the right lengths on a demanding surface.

GT needed captain Shubman Gill and opening partner B Sai Sudharsan to provide a strong start, but neither could deliver.

Although steady starts had become routine for the pair, Gill fell when a swat off Josh Hazlewood (2/37) took the leading edge and looped to opposite number Patidar.

Sudharsan, who had earlier survived thanks to a DRS review after being given caught behind off Jacob Duffy, departed soon after. His attempted pull at a well-directed high, wide bouncer from Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/29) found wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma running in from behind the stumps.

With their two leading run-scorers of the season gone, the Titans’ batting lost direction and limped to 45 for two at the end of the Power Play.

The remaining batters were unable to mount a meaningful recovery.

Jos Buttler (19) and Washington, who reached his fifty in 37 deliveries, attempted to rebuild the innings but struggled to break free from a defensive approach.

Young pacer Rasikh Salam Dhar (3/27) continued his impressive form alongside Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood, dismissing Nishant Sindhu (20 off 18 balls) and Rahul Tewatia as GT lost key batting resources before reaching the 100-run mark.

That the Titans had to wait until the 13th over for their first six, a powerful slog-sweep over midwicket by Arshad off Krunal Pandya, summed up their struggles on a night dominated by RCB and Kohli.