Chasing a target of 156, Bengaluru were powered by a scintillating half-century from Virat Kohli, who produced a match-winning knock under pressure. Kohli reached his fifty in just 25 balls, registering the fastest half-century of his IPL career and putting RCB firmly on course for victory.

Bengaluru’s chase suffered a brief setback when Rashid Khan struck twice in quick succession, reducing the side to 91 for 4. However, Kohli anchored the innings and ensured there were no further hiccups as RCB crossed the finish line with five wickets to spare.

Earlier, Gujarat Titans posted 155 runs in their allotted 20 overs, with Sai Sudharsan contributing an unbeaten half-century. However, the Titans’ batting unit struggled after the early departures of their star opening pair.

Captain Shubman Gill was dismissed for 10 off eight balls by Josh Hazlewood, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar removed Sudharsan for 12 after the opener had made a cautious start. With both key batters failing to make a major impact, Gujarat’s batting line-up failed to build momentum and lost wickets at regular intervals.

Despite a late recovery, Gujarat could only manage a modest total, which proved insufficient against a confident Bengaluru side determined to retain the trophy.

The victory marks another memorable chapter for RCB and Virat Kohli, as the franchise cemented its status among the league’s dominant teams with back-to-back IPL titles.

The post RCB retain IPL crown as Kohli’s blazing fifty guides Bengaluru to second straight title appeared first on PunjabENews.