Royal Challengers Bengaluru talisman Virat Kohli proved once again why he is called the chase master when he stayed unbeaten with 75 runs, helping Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their second Indian Premier League title on Sunday with a 5-wicket win over Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. “It’s stuff that you dream of. Thought of this moment many times, to win the IPL and stand here. The kind of team which gives you the confidence to see off any kind of situation. Such is the demand of the sport today. You have these young players pushing you hard and asking you to get better. You need to get those 20-30 runs extra. I had to change my mindset, not so much by game, to get those runs. The target was to finish top of the table. A lot of people asked who we would prefer to play. But we didn’t care of the jersey in front of us. We are a professional group,” Kohli said after he was announced as the player of the match. “They probably looked to get me out early but I had the confidence that even if I get out there is enough depth in the side to pull it off. There was total clarity and both of us wanted to strike. We had small targets in mind. Credit to Venkatesh as well. Stepped in and did a beautiful job. I always say that we don’t have just 7 home games we have 14. GT are the home team here but probably 90% are RCB fans,” he added. Kohli anchored the chase with 75 not out as Royal Challengers Bengaluru proved their class in all departments to clinch a second consecutive Indian Premier League title victory. Also Read | Less pressure compared to last year, says Virat Kohli Kohli scored 75 not out off 42 balls with nine fours and three sixes as he hit his fastest IPL fifty (25 balls) as RCB chased down an under-par 156-run target, reaching 161 for five in 18 overs. Rasikh Salam Dar claimed 3/27 while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood took two wickets apiece as a top-heavy Titans were restricted to 155 for eight in the first half. RCB then rode on a 62-run opening stand between Venkatesh Iyer (32) and Kohli, who stood tall in the end with a match-winning six.Story continues below this ad Earlier, the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru produced a superb all-round bowling performance to restrict Gujarat Titans to 155/8. A top-heavy GT lost their in-form batters inside the powerplay and questionable rejigging of the batting line-up saw the 2022 winners losing the plot completely. Washington Sundar top-scored with for the Titans with 50 not out but none of their batters could impose themselves on the game.
‘It’s stuff that you dream of’: Virat Kohli after guiding RCB to 2nd title
