Virat Kohli hits six as RCB win back-to-back IPL titles

Royal Challengers Bengaluru clinched back-to-back IPL titles on Sunday when Virat Kohli smashed a match-winning six as his team beat Gujarat Titans by five wickets in Ahmedabad. The veteran batter finished the game in style, launching the final ball of the 18th over over long-on after evening the scores with a boundary just moments earlier. The moment unleashed wild celebrations on the field and in the stands, where actor Anushka Sharma was caught on camera roaring in delight as RCB players mobbed their captain. The victory sealed a second IPL crown for the franchise and gave Kohli another defining image of his legendary career.

Kohli’s innings was vintage: he raced to the fastest half-century of his IPL career in 25 balls, then anchored the chase with calm authority as Gujarat’s bowlers clawed back into the game. Earlier, an explosive opening stand of 62 between Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer set the tone, helping RCB post the fastest team fifty ever recorded in an IPL final. But Gujarat fought back, claiming four wickets for just 29 runs and briefly flickering hopes of a comeback. Kohli never panicked. Instead, he kept the required rate ticking over, ensuring RCB stayed in control even as the game tightened.

When the winning runs came, Kohli’s reaction said it all. He removed his helmet, turned to his teammates, and spread his arms wide as the crowd inside the world’s largest cricket stadium erupted in red. Nearby, Anushka Sharma was seen clenching her fists and bouncing in her seat, her joy mirroring the elation of fans watching around the globe. The images quickly went viral, capturing the raw emotion of a team that had defended its title in style. For RCB, it was redemption and glory in equal measure; for Kohli, another chapter written in a career already packed with unforgettable moments.