History was made yesterday at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium as RCB lifted the IPL trophy after 18 years. Following their win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in a thrilling final, the former captain, Virat Kohli, was visibly emotional on the field, and later expressed that he gave his hundred percent every season.
Let’s look at how Kohli felt winning the maiden IPL trophy in his career.
The Emotional Moment of Virat Kohli
On Tuesday night, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, fans and cricket lovers got to witness something after 18 years of waiting. Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally won their first ever IPL title against the Punjab Kings, making every RCB fan and player emotional.
Virat Kohli, who has been associated with the franchise since the inaugural season, is always praised for his commitment and loyalty towards the team.
Yesterday, as RCB was near to winning the game, Kohli was seen getting emotional on the field – a moment that brought tears to the eyes of every loyal fan who had stood by the team through years of heartbreak, near-misses, and repeated defeats in quarter finals and finals.
READ ON: TATA IPL 2025: RCB Edges MI in High-Scoring Clash
Following the win, Virat Kohli spilled some words that again added how much the win meant to him. He said,
“This win is as much for the fans as it is for the team. It’s been 18 long years. I’ve given my time, my youth, my prime. I gave it everything I have. I never thought this day would come. I was overcome with emotion as soon as the last ball was bowled.”
He further added the impact of the former player, ABD, on the franchise and the league itself. It truly was a victory for all the players who were once associated with RCB, especially ABD, who has been awarded Player of the Match multiple times.
“Never thought this day would come; I was overcome with emotion after we won. What ABD has done for the franchise is tremendous. I told him, ‘This is as much yours as it is ours.’ He’s been the POTM most times in the franchise despite being retired for four years. He deserves to be on the podium, lifting the cup.
I had moments otherwise, but I stayed with them and they with me. My heart is with Bangalore; my soul is with Bangalore,” said Virat Kohli.
Highlights of the Final
The IPL final 2025 was one of the most thrilling matches that the fans have ever witnessed over the years. Despite Royal Challengers Bengaluru winning the game by just 6 runs in the final over of the game, the players from both teams were able to produce high-intensity moments.
PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and decided to bowl first in the high-pressure match and was able to restrict RCB to 190 for 9. From RCB, Virat Kohli contributed 43 runs from 35 balls, while Rajat Patidar and Jitesh Sharma’s hits on the late overs gave them a good total on the board.
PBKS were pretty confident to chase 191, as they previously thrashed the Mumbai Indians in a 200-plus chase. Punjab had a very confident start as the openers, Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, were unstoppable after the powerplay as well.
However, the immediate fall of wickets of Priyansh Arya and captain Shreyas Iyer helped RCB to be on the front foot of the game. Josh Inglis’ innings of 39 runs off 23 balls nearly helped PBKS clinch the victory, but Krunal Pandya’s effective overs, taking 2 wickets, shifted the momentum of the game towards RCB, and eventually emerged victorious.
