Final Match Recap
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) secured a five-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans, finishing at 161-5 against 155-8, to successfully defend their Indian Premier League (IPL) title on Sunday.
Former India captain Virat Kohli played a pivotal role, scoring an unbeaten 75 runs off 42 balls, propelling Bengaluru to a comfortable win.
Match Details
RCB, who ended a 17-season title drought by winning their first IPL championship last year, maintained their winning momentum this season by chasing down a target of 156 runs in just 18 overs.
Gujarat Titans, batting first, struggled against Bengaluru’s effective bowling attack. They lost their in-form openers early during the powerplay and managed to post a total of 155 runs for the loss of 8 wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium, which was filled with supporters clad in red cheering for the defending champions.
During the chase, Bengaluru faced little resistance. Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer, who contributed 32 runs off 16 balls, set a strong foundation by scoring 70 runs for the loss of 2 wickets in the powerplay overs.
Known as the “chase master,” Kohli dominated the bowling with his unbeaten 75, which included three sixes and nine fours. He also recorded his fastest IPL half-century, increasing his career tally to 68 half-centuries and nine centuries.
Gujarat Titans’ top scorers Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan were dismissed early, leaving the team at 45-2 in the powerplay. Although Washington Sundar contributed an unbeaten 50 runs off 37 balls, the innings lacked sufficient support and failed to build momentum.
Bengaluru’s bowling was disciplined and economical, with no bowler conceding more than 10 runs per over. Rasikh Dar took three wickets, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood claimed two wickets each.
