Royal Challengers Bengaluru win maiden Indian Premier League title after losing 3 IPL finals
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat the Punjab Kings by six runs in Tuesday’s Indian Premier League final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Bengaluru posted a final total of 190 for nine in 20 overs. Opener Virat Kohli, who has scored the most runs in the history of the IPL, hit 43 and captain Rajat Patidar collected 26. Seamers Arshdeep Singh and Kyle Jamieson took three wickets each.
Punjab responded with 184 for seven in 20 overs. Middle-order batsman Shashank Singh and wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Inglis hit 61 not out and 39, respectively. Seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and spinner Krunal Pandya took two wickets each.
This is RCB’s first IPL title. They lost IPL finals in 2009, 2011 and 2016.
What Virat Kohli said about RCB IPL title win
“This win is as much for the fans as it is for the team. It’s been 18 long years. I’ve given this team my youth, prime and experience. I’ve tried to win it every season, gave it everything I have,” said Kohli.
“To finally have it is an unbelievable feeling. Never thought this day would come, I was overcome with emotion after the last ball was bowled. Gave each and every ounce of my energy and it’s an amazing feeling.
“I’ve stayed loyal to this team, no matter what. I’ve had moments where I thought otherwise, but I stuck to this team. I stood behind them, they stood behind me. And I always dreamt of winning it with them. And this is far more special than winning it with anyone else because my heart is with Bangalore, my soul is with Bangalore.
“And as I said, this is the team I’m going to play for until the last day that I play the IPL. So this one is absolutely right up there because you know, as a sportsman, when you grind for something, and this is a very high intensity, high quality tournament, which is of great value in world cricket today. And I’m someone that wants to win the big tournaments, the big moments, and this one was missing.”
Previous IPL title winners
The Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings are the most successful teams in the history of the IPL, which started in 2008, with five titles each. The Kolkata Knight Riders have won the tournament three times.
The Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Gujarat Titans and Deccan Chargers have won the IPL title once each. The Deccan team has since been dissolved.
Punjab, Delhi Capitals, Lucknow Super Giants have never won an IPL title.
