Virat, skipper Patidar hoist stars after successful IPL title defence
Bengaluru, June 1
Virat Kohli and skipper Rajat Patidar have got the fans counting stars again as Royal Challengers Bengaluru completed back-to-back Indian Premier League title wins.
In a now-viral image, cricket icon Virat and captain Rajat are seen hoisting giant golden stars above their heads as celebrations continue following Bengaluru's second successive IPL title. Shared after Sunday's commanding final victory over Gujarat, the image quickly struck a chord across social media, with each star representing a championship triumph and capturing the significance of another historic season.
The team's kit sponsor, PUMA, celebrated the title win with a visual titled, "Good Things Come in Pairs".
With back-to-back IPL titles and two Women's Premier League crowns, the Bengaluru-based franchise has established itself as one of the defining forces in Indian cricket.
Put to bat first by RCB, GT scored just 155/8 in 20 overs, with Washington Sundar (50* in 37 balls, with five fours) and Nishant Sindhu (20 in 18 balls, with three fours) being the only one to cross the 20-run mark. Rasikh Dar Salam (3/27), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/29) and Josh Hazlewood (2/37) took wickets regularly.
RCB started off well with a 62-run stand between Venkatesh Iyer (32 in 16 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) and Virat Kohli. GT showed some fight, reducing RCB to 132/5 at one point, but Virat (75* in 42 balls, with nine fours and three sixes) guided RCB to a win with two overs left.
This is RCB's second IPL title win and overall their fourth Indian franchise cricket trophy, including two Women's Premier League (WPL) titles.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Absolutely thrilled for the team! But credit where it's due – Rasikh Dar's 3/27 turned the match around after GT looked set for 170+. And Washington Sundar's fifty was crucial too. The bowling unit has really stepped up this season.
As a neutral fan, I have to admit RCB's transformation from perennial underachievers to champions is remarkable. The management, the scouting, the team balance – everything has clicked. Good things do come in pairs indeed! 🐯🔥
Living in Bangalore and seeing the buzz around the city is electric. The Chinnaswamy atmosphere during playoffs was unreal. Virat's still the best in the business at pacing a run chase – that 75* off 42 was poetry in motion.
Congratulations to RCB! But honestly, I think GT were a bit unlucky with the toss – chasing under lights at Chinnaswamy is always tough. Still, RCB fully deserved it. The women's team winning the WPL makes this a golden era for the franchise. 💪
That image of Virat and Patidar holding the stars is iconic! 🏆🏆 Reminds me of the old RCB days when we used to dream of just one title. Now we have two. The way the young players like Venkatesh Iyer have performed under pressure is heartening for Indian cricket's future.
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