AHMEDABAD — Virat Kohli smashed an unbeaten 75 as Royal Challengers Bengaluru chased 156 to beat Gujarat Titans by five wickets and retain the Indian Premier League crown on Sunday.
Put into bat, Gujarat never built momentum after early powerplay setbacks and finished 155 for 8 at a raucous Narendra Modi Stadium. Washington Sundar’s unbeaten 50 offered late resistance, but the home side’s top order, including in-form openers Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan, fell cheaply.
Bengaluru raced through the chase, reaching their target inside 18 overs after a commanding powerplay that yielded 70 for 2. Kohli, renowned as a “chase master,” dominated with three sixes and nine fours, reaching a rapid fifty, his fastest in the IPL and moving his career tally to 68 half-centuries and nine centuries. Venkatesh Iyer contributed a swift 32 off 16 to keep the chase on course.
RCB’s bowlers set the tone early, maintaining tight lines and economy; Rasikh Dar picked up three wickets while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood took two apiece. The disciplined bowling display and Kohli’s match-defining innings secured Bengaluru consecutive IPL titles.