RCB successfully defended its title after defeating GT by five wickets in the final. | Photo Credit: KR DEEPAK

Red and gold jerseys everywhere. Flags fluttering in the evening breeze. Chants of “ Virat, Virat” echoing around the stands long before the first ball was bowled.

For a moment, it was easy to forget that this was supposed to be Gujarat Titans’ home ground.

The Narendra Modi Stadium, usually awash in Titans’ blue, had turned into a sea of red and gold. Families posed for photographs in RCB jerseys, friends broke into spontaneous chants, and every glimpse of Virat Kohli on the giant screen drew a roar from the crowd.

There was a familiar warmth to it all — the kind that anyone who has spent an evening at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium would recognise. The noise, the energy, the belief.

For one evening, Ahmedabad felt a little like Bengaluru.

And Royal Challengers Bengaluru ensured its fans got the ending they wanted, producing a clinical display to outclass Gujarat Titans by five wickets and secure a second successive IPL title.

Coming into the final as favourites, things fell into place for RCB right from the toss. Opting to field first, its experienced bowling attack, led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and backed by an impressive Rasikh Salam, never allowed the Titans to settle, restricting them to a below-par 155 for eight before a calm and composed Kohli completed the job with minimal fuss and a classy, unbeaten 42-ball-75.

The pitch offered enough bounce for the seamers, and RCB’s bowlers exploited it expertly. After Josh Hazlewood struck an early blow by removing Shubman Gill, Bhuvneshwar followed it up with a sharp bouncer that accounted for Sai Sudharsan. Titans stumbled to 45 for two in the PowerPlay, with neither opener able to make an impact.

Nishant Sindhu and Jos Buttler attempted to rebuild, but Salam and Krunal Pandya tightened the screws further. Boundaries dried up, wickets kept falling and, at one stage, even 150 appeared beyond the home side.

What stood out was RCB’s discipline. The bowlers repeatedly hit hard lengths and banged the ball into the surface, denying the batters any room to free their arms. Significantly, Gill, Sudharsan, Sindhu and Rahul Tewatia all fell trying to negotiate short-pitched deliveries, underlining how well RCB had read the conditions.

Washington Sundar, however, refused to give in. Handed a reprieve, the all-rounder produced a defiant half-century off 37 balls and dragged the Titans to a respectable total. But on a night when RCB looked in control from start to finish, it was never going to be enough.

Given the form in which he had batted this season, Venkatesh Iyer rose to the occasion once again and went on a rampage, plundering 18 runs off Kagiso Rabada’s opening over and setting the tone for the chase. While Kohli settled into his anchor’s role, Venkatesh continued his red-hot form as RCB raced to fifty in just 3.3 overs — the fastest team fifty in an IPL final.

Just when it looked like RCB would finish the job without breaking a sweat, Mohammed Siraj struck with yet another short ball, inducing a pull from Venkatesh that was safely held by Rabada at mid-on.

Rabada tightened the noose further by dismissing Devdutt Padikkal at third man. While that slowed RCB’s scoring rate, it also helped the South African finish the season with the Purple Cap after claiming his 29th wicket.

RCB’s brief stutter continued as Rashid Khan removed captain Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya in quick succession. But Kohli and Tim David ensured there would be no further drama.

Relying on experience rather than urgency, Kohli played each ball on merit and brought up a 25-ball fifty — his fastest in the IPL. Neither he nor David seemed in a hurry, content to deal in singles and twos while picking the occasional boundary.

David was caught behind off Arshad Khan, and with some runs still needed, there was finally a flicker of hope for the Titans.

Moments later came the biggest scare of the evening. Gill dived forward at cover to pouch a chance offered by Kohli. The RCB talisman, unconvinced, immediately turned to the Titans captain and asked if the catch had been taken cleanly. Gill’s response appeared hesitant enough for the on-field umpires to send it upstairs.

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The giant screen flashed replay after replay as a packed stadium held its breath. Eventually, the TV umpire ruled that part of the ball had made contact with the ground, handing Kohli a reprieve and prompting a collective sigh of relief from the sea of red and gold.

As Kohli eventually guided RCB home with one of his grittiest knocks of the season, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi watched quietly from the President’s Box. One of the stories of the tournament, the teenager found himself watching one of the game’s greats do what he has done for nearly two decades — absorb pressure, pace a chase and finish the job.

When the winning runs finally came with a six by Kohli, the roar was deafening. Teammates streamed onto the field, the crowd rose as one and chants of “ Virat, Virat” echoed around the stadium.

For the second year in a row, RCB was champion.

And for the thousands who had turned Ahmedabad into a sea of red and gold, it was a night worth travelling for.

Published on May 31, 2026