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The long wait that defined Kohli and RCB’s triumph

Danijones5 days ago08 mins

New Delhi: For a while, as Virat Kohli struggled in the middle on Tuesday, it looked as if Royal Challengers Bengaluru would be left to despair again in the IPL final. The run-rate wasn’t where they would have wanted it to be, Punjab Kings were putting on the clamps and RCB’s talisman was not able to get going. The wait, some dreaded with the RCB total on 125/3 after 14 overs, could continue. Virat Kohli, who has been with RCB since the inception of the league in 2008, finally laid his hands on the coveted IPL trophy. (AP) The cruellest cut in sport is to be within touching distance of the ultimate prize and then not win it. For RCB, it had happened thrice already, in 2009, 2011 and 2016. On each occasion, the cameras had zoomed in on Kohli. The expressions were a mix of dejection, disbelief and desperation — each feeling perhaps a reflection of where Kohli’s career was at that point. But this time, as the match wound to a close, Kohli could barely control the tears. When the final ball was bowled, he was on his knees and let it all out. Triumphs are sometimes defined by the wait; by how hard you have had to work for them; by how much the struggle changed you. This was the journey of a lifetime – for the club and the player. When Kohli was asked where he would rank the achievement, his answer revealed that the quest tested him in many ways. “It’s right up there, if I have to be honest,” said Kohli. “I’ve given everything that I had for the last 18 years. I’ve stayed loyal to this team, no matter what. I’ve had moments where I thought otherwise. I stood behind them, they stood behind me. And I always dreamt of winning it with them. This is far more special than winning it with anyone else because my heart is with Bangalore, my soul is with Bangalore. “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. I’m someone that wants to win the big tournaments, the big moments, and this one was missing.” The missing one Roger Federer was the clear No. 2 on clay from 2006 to 2008 when he made three straight French Open finals. The only problem was that the man dominating the tournament, Rafa Nadal, was pretty much an insurmountable hurdle and had beaten Federer in all three including a 6–1, 6–3, 6–0 pounding in 2008. But then Robin Soderling produced an epic performance to beat the Spaniard, and the Swiss ace pounced on the opportunity. “It meant a lot to me because it was the last Grand Slam that I was still missing. For me, I had won all the others by 2004, so I had to wait a good five, six years… So, of course, when I won it finally, on a rainy day here in Paris and I came through in the final, it was a beautiful moment,” Federer later said. There are many other greats who will identify with the feeling. Having made his India debut in 1989, Sachin Tendulkar had to wait till 2011 to get his hands on a World Cup. “In the end, what matters is that the trophy is sitting in your dressing room and not in the opposition’s dressing room, and that happened to us,” Tendulkar later said. “It was the ultimate feeling on the cricket field to take that victory lap as champions…” Sometimes the wait is so long that one starts believing it isn’t meant to be. That is when resilience, a single-minded focus and luck make their presence felt. India’s first individual Olympic gold was built on a manic approach by Abhinav Bindra; Andry Murray became the first British male to win Wimbledon in 77 years in 2013, but many will remember the Henmania inspired by Tim Henman as well. Henman didn’t find joy but his struggle inspired a generation. For Blackburn fans, the wait to win the top-flight English football league lasted 81 years but few will top the Red Sox baseball team winning the World Series in 2004, 86 years after their previous title. It inspired jokes and there was even talk of the Curse of the Bambino as the team’s trophy drought started after they traded Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees in 1920. Through it all, the fans, the teams and the players persist. The wait is excruciatingly painful but at the end of the day — as Kohli and RCB will attest — that is what makes the victory taste sweeter still.

IPL 2025 | Coach Flower heaps praise on RCB skipper Patidar

Danijones5 days ago04 mins

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s captain Rajat Patidar didn’t allow the pressure of leading stalwarts likes Virat Kohli affect him and exuded calmness according to coach Andy Flower. | Photo Credit: PTI Royal Challengers Bengaluru head coach Andy Flower hailed captain Rajat Patidar for excelling in a tricky job. “One of the most impressive things about Rajat is that he has not been affected by captaincy. He is still the lovely, gentle, polite Rajat Patidar that we knew last year. He has not changed at all in that regard,” Flower said in the press conference after RCB emerged as the IPL 2025 champion. “I cast my mind back to how poorly I captained when I was his age. I’ve got tremendous respect for how he handled himself with all that scrutiny, and captaining some big players. Royal Challengers Bangaluru captain Rajat Patidar with the IPL 2025 Trophy after beating Punjab Kings in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on Tuesday, May 03, 2025. | Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI “You cannot underestimate the calmness that he showed in leading some really big players, in a really big franchise. Rajat made good decisions in the middle under pressure. I have got tons of respect for him. I am really proud of the way that he carried himself,” Flower said. Flower explained that RCB’s auction strategy was sound, despite the initial criticism. “We copped some flak after the first day of the auction. People thought that we were investing our money rather than spending it. “But it meant that there was some really good value to be had on the second day. We got guys like Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal (Pandya), Tim David and Romario Shepherd all on that second day. So that was really important,” Flower said. This isn’t just celebrations, it’s tears, hugs and screams. This is what belief finally looks like. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/5Fh01Wep0U — Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) June 3, 2025 Phil Salt’s splendid catch to dismiss Punjab Kings opener Priyansh Arya was a turning point in the final, Flower said. “That was an outstanding catch, wasn’t it? It was a perfect example of someone holding his nerve under pressure. He only got back from England at 3 o’clock this morning (Salt had made a quick visit to England to witness the birth of his child). The catch was a turning point,” Flower said. Published – June 04, 2025 08:56 pm IST

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PSG describe UCL win emotions with viral Gukesh-Carlsen reaction meme

Danijones5 days ago03 mins

Ligue 1 and UEFA Champions League 2025 winners Paris Saint-Germain gave a unique shoutout to Indian chess sensation and reigning World Champion D Gukesh, drawing a parallel between their historic UCL win and Gukesh’s recent triumph over Magnus Carlsen at the Norway Chess tournament. Gukesh, 18, had earlier lost to Carlsen in the first round of the blitz event but made a stunning comeback in the sixth round of the classical format to defeat the former World Champion for the first time in his career. Carlsen’s dramatic reaction—slamming the table in frustration—went viral across social media and has since become symbolic of unexpected, high-stakes turnarounds. “What it felt like winning our first UCL,” PSG wrote in their post of Gukesh’s reaction. PSG shared a picture of Gukesh’s reaction from that match on their official social media handles to describe their own emotions after lifting the coveted UEFA Champions League trophy. After years of near-misses and heavy spending on marquee stars like Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe, the French giants finally claimed their long-awaited maiden Champions League title with a dominant 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in the final in Munich. Unlike previous campaigns, this season’s success was built on a perfect blend of youth and experience, rather than relying solely on blockbuster signings. PSG’s choice to link their moment of glory with Gukesh’s career-defining victory reflected a mutual narrative of perseverance, redemption, and the joy of finally overcoming the odds. Published By: Debodinna Chakraborty Published On: Jun 4, 2025

The RCB success story: All method and a dose of luck

Danijones5 days ago09 mins

Ahmedabad: T20 cricket and endurance may sound paradoxical, but no IPL title is won without being ready for a long haul. More so when you throw in numerous complexities, from player availability, form and fitness with many of them punishing their bodies with all-format workloads. Add the unexpected momentum-breaker due to the week-long suspension this year, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) should be truly proud of their winning campaign. Ahmedabad: Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli lifts the championship trophy as captain Rajat Patidar and others celebrate during the presentation ceremony of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 final, at the Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad, Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (PTI Photo/Arun Sharma) (PTI06_04_2025_000103A) (PTI) If 2024 was their turnaround season where they conjured up magic with a string of late wins to make the playoffs, this year was one of absolute dominance. Salt-Kohli partnership The signs were there in the very first game against Kolkata Knight Riders when Phil Salt’s aggression (SR 180) allowed Virat Kohli (SR 163) to ease into his innings. Show intent but play strokes where he could hold his shape. It’s a template the two openers maintained for the rest of the tournament, except for a brief spell when Salt was unwell and young English batter Jacob Bethell replaced him. The secret to Kohli’s T20 longevity has revolved around the maverick players who have batted around him. It was Chris Gayle and AB de Villers in the past. To his credit, Salt’s 403 runs (SR 176) to Kohli’s 657 runs (SR 145) was just the ideal mix RCB sought from their openers. Josh Hazlewood At ₹12.5 crore, Josh Hazlewood was their most expensive auction pick. The Australia pacer set an early marker that the onus was on him to make the high impact performances. Not just in the big final where he troubled Punjab Kings openers in the Powerplay, throughout the tournament Hazlewood would bang it short of good length, extracting seam movement to become the middle overs enforcer. On days when the pitch was flat, he would be the first to spread the word in the bowling group that it was a day to use more mix-ups. Towards the end of the league phase when Hazlewood wasn’t available, twice in a row RCB were taken for 200-plus totals – Ishan Kishan (94 – 48b) did the damage for SRH and Rishabh Pant (118 – 61b) for LSG. It showed how central the tall Aussie was to their bowling efforts in the season. Jitesh Sharma But what defined RCB’s spirited season was how they always found someone to stand up to reverse the tide. In reply to Pant’s explosive innings, Jitesh Sharma (85 – 33b) played the innings of his life. The wicket-keeper bat would play immense shots under pressure, unlocking a gear even he didn’t know he possessed. His filling the big boots of Dinesh Karthik the finisher with a little help from Karthik the coach was one of the storylines of RCB’s campaign. Rajat Patidar The RCB captain would have liked to be more consistent, but in many matches, he was the spin-hitter with his usual sparkle. Take the early match against KKR’s quality spin attack and how his cameo eased the pressure in the middle overs. Most importantly, Patidar the batter at no stage was weighed down by the high-profile job of leading RCB. “You can’t underestimate the calmness he showed in leading some really big players, a really big franchise, making good decisions out there in the middle under the pressure that RCB players play under,” head coach Andy Flower said. “Injury replacement to IPL-winning captain, bloody hell, that’s a turnaround,” as Kohli said in a RCB video. Krunal Pandya Few would have predicted that Krunal Pandya, the left-arm spinner with a penchant for the surprise bouncer and round-arm deliveries, would become RCB’s second highest wicket-taker – 17 to Hazlewood’s 22. Be it the four-for against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede or the miserly 2/17 in the final at Ahmedabad, Krunal this year was willing to give the ball air every time conditions allowed. Although it wasn’t his best season with the bat, when everyone else failed against DC, he held his own with 73*. Experience is not bought in the supermarket, goes the saying, but if you think of the auction as a marketplace, RCB did the smart bidding. Destiny Sporting conquests are incomplete without a bit of luck. If not for the forced break due to the India-Pakistan conflict, Hazlewood wouldn’t have got the time to recover from a niggle. Also Patidar, who had a hand injury. Jitesh led in Patidar’s absence. By the time action resumed and it was time for the playoffs, the key players were back and could make the difference. “For those who believe in fate, I’m sure they’ll find a story to tell. But yes, it did give us a bit of breathing space,” said Flower. How can any RCB fan not believe in providence? Not after 17 failed attempts. The RCB story was a lot of method, and a dose of luck too.

Tragedy mars RCB’s IPL title celebrations: BCCI questions organisers who were caught off guard by huge crowd | Cricket News

Danijones5 days ago06 mins

NEW DELHI: At least 11 people were killed and over 40 were injured after a stampede broke out outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday. Royal Challengers Bengaluru had planned their IPL 2025 victory celebrations but things got out of control shortly before the event was due to begin inside the stadium.Around 5pm, multiple reports of injuries and deaths emerged from outside the stadium but the programme continued as planned. It is understood that Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council Chairman Arun Dhumal had to call up the franchise, who were unaware of the events which unfolded outside the venue. Dhumal was assured that the event will be wrapped up quickly inside the stadium but the damage was already done outside it.Even after getting a call from the IPL chair, why wasn’t the event wrapped up? TimesofIndia.com reached out to RCB for a comment on the unfortunate incident but they are yet to respond. ‘A particularly special feeling’: Andy Flower hails Virat Kohli, RCB after historic title win In what was a clear case of poor planning, a lot of innocent lives were lost and panic gripped the city which was in the mood to celebrate RCB’s maiden IPL title. TimesofIndia.com has reliably learnt that the event management company DNA was only asked to ensure the sound and stage arrangements inside the stadium.Clearly there was a lack of preparedness and a sudden influx of people overwhelmed the security personnel stationed outside the cricket ground. Additionally, there was a lot of confusion regarding the team’s open bus parade with the IPL title and the situation could have gotten much worse had it happened.Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Davajit Saikia termed the incident “unfortunate” and felt the organisers should have done better.“It is very unfortunate. This is a negative side of popularity. People are crazy for their cricketers. The organisers should have planned it better. My deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. I wish early recovery of the injured,” said Saikia in an interaction with PTI.“When one organises a victory celebration of this magnitude, proper precautions, safety and security measures need to be taken. There have been some lapses somewhere. After such a glorious ending to the IPL, this has been an anti climax. There have been IPL celebrations in the past as well, like in Kolkata last year when KKR won but nothing happened there,” he added.RCB also issued an official statement expressing grief over the tragic incident.“We are deeply anguished by the unfortunate incidents that have come to light through media reports regarding public gatherings all over Bengaluru in anticipation of the team’s arrival this afternoon. The safety and well-being of everyone is of utmost importance to us.RCB mourns the tragic loss of lives and extend our heartfelt condolences to the affected families.Immediately upon being made aware of the situation, we promptly amended our program, and followed, the guidance and advice of the local administration.We urge all our supporters to please stay safe.”There have been plenty of celebrations in the country in the past but did the authorities not get adequate time to be prepared for an event of this magnitude?Could there have been a better way to go about this?Who exactly is at fault? The event management company, the franchise, the government?There are plenty of questions but no answers at the moment.

‘Please don’t come. It’s very dangerous’: Injured fan’s harrowing ordeal after surviving RCB parade stampede

Danijones5 days ago04 mins

At least 11 people died and more than 30 were injured in a stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, as thousands gathered for Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory parade on Wednesday. One fan, who narrowly escaped the chaos, shared his harrowing ordeal and urged others to stay away from what he described as a “dangerous” and “terrible” scene. A security personnel tries to manage the crowd of fans gathered for the felicitation of IPL 2025 winning RCB team, near the Chinnaswamy Stadium(PTI) Speaking to Cricket.com, the fan—who sustained a leg injury after nearly 20 people fell on him—said he was fortunate to escape, thanks to the help of another spectator. He added that four others near him were left unconscious. “I fell down there. More than 20 people have fallen, and four of them are unconscious. It’s terrible. Look at that guy jumping over the fence. I don’t know how I came out of that because I was underneath 20 people there. My leg is paining and I can’t walk properly right now. It’s very dangerous to come here. Please don’t come,” he said. Despite the chaos, the felicitation of the RCB players went ahead nonetheless as the stadium was packed to the rafters, however the much-anticipated open-top bus parade, which was allowed to proceed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah from Vidhana Soudha to the stadium, ultimately could not take place as crowd became unmanageable for the police. Virat Kohli, the only player in IPL history to have represented a single franchise for 18 years, addressed the crowd before winning captain Rajat Patidar took over. The players then went around the ground with the trophy in hand. “It’s for all of you – the fans, the people of this wonderful city, people who’ve supported RCB through thick and thin. I’ve never seen any fan base of any team in the world like this franchise,” Kohli said after being interrupted twice by the crowd. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that 11 had died and 33 were injured “due to stampede near Chinnaswamy Stadium.” “More than 2-3 lakh people came near Chinnaswamy Stadium, no one expected this crowd,” Siddaramaiah said. “Most of deceased in RCB celebrations are youth. Government will provide ₹10 lakh compensation to kin of deceased,” he added, while declaring that there will be a magisterial inquiry into the incident. The injured are being treated at the nearby Vydehi hospital and Bowering hospital.

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From memes to champions, the RCB faithful rejoice

Danijones5 days ago07 mins

New Delhi: As the fireworks laced the night sky in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad on Tuesday night, there was jubilance as well as relief of a burden lifting off the shoulders of those who stuck with Royal Challengers Bengaluru for years. Royal Challengers Bengaluru conquered their final frontier by getting the better of Punjab Kings by six runs. (AFP) Chants of ‘RCB, RCB’ reverberated on the streets everywhere but they echoed even across living rooms all over India. Such had been the dedication of RCB fans that these chants had been heard even in random international matches, especially if their talisman Virat Kohli was playing. The win in Ahmedabad thus was more than a championship. It was a release, a reward, 18 years in the making. For much of their history, RCB fans had become something of a punchline in Indian cricket – the team with stars, not trophies. The perpetual underachievers. But through it all, through the three previous finals with nothing to show for it, the memes and the meltdowns, a community was formed, friendships forged. “You stick through. We stuck through, like a parent doesn’t give up on their kid, no matter what,” said Dinky Mehta, an RCB fan in Delhi. “My support wasn’t dependent on trophies. We had none. My heart just lies with them and it will continue to.” Kohli – the face of the franchise for these 18-long years – was his most emotional self amid the eruption of joy. For many fans, his reaction mirrored their own. As RCB lifted the trophy after beating Punjab Kings, it felt like a collective wound was healing. Dinky was watching the match at a screening as RCB made the breakthrough, and while fans around her erupted with joy, she stood there, tears streaming down her face, with a sense of fulfilment. Arfan MU, who is recognised on X for his loyalty to the Bengaluru franchise and support and humour through each unsuccessful season, sits through each RCB match without missing a delivery. It wasn’t any different on Tuesday night. “I was numb, tears rolling down in the last over. I just screamed, hugged all the RCB fans around and they were the best hugs of my life. I was shivering because the dream is a reality now. I danced around like that baby who gets a new toy,” he said. Naturally, new fans will come in. Some may never understand the pain that was endured before the glory. The old guard though will recall the 2016 final heartbreak, the social media trolling and ‘Ee Sala Cup Namde’ memes. “RCB is an emotion and it can teach you about life. You fall 17 times, you get mocked, you get trolled but the one time that you stand up, the world will be yours,” Arfan added. Yash Saxena often tells his friends in Barcelona – many of them don’t follow cricket – that supporting RCB is like rooting for a middle-class working man. Someone who keeps winning the small battles, yet rarely gets the applause because ultimate success is elusive. “Kohli is responsible for me and a lot of others sticking with this team. If he can show that loyalty and be their face through the failures, we do the same,” he said. “This win pumps me to do great things in life. It has pushed me to keep going even as I go through my personal challenges.” Such was the relentless grind that even AB de Villiers, who spent a decade with RCB, had vowed to be present if they made the final. Chris Gayle, who played for RCB from 2011 to 2017, stood proudly on the podium as they lifted the trophy. For Kohli, they too had earned that moment. “You ought to respect the connection even some of the past players have to this team. Even those who were with RCB for a short-term have found so much joy… There’s just something magical about them,” he said. The community built around waiting got its moment. It was almost bizarre watching the devotion of RCB fans through these years – loyal beyond reason. They waited and suffered, and now get to rejoice.

‘1 parade, 0 brains & now 7 funerals’: Netizens criticise RCB after stampede turns deadly | Cricket News

Danijones5 days ago03 mins

Bengaluru: Security personnel try to manage the crowd of fans gathered for the felicitation of IPL 2025 winning Royal Challengers Bengaluru team, near the Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, Karnataka. (PTI Photo) A tragic stampede near Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s first-ever IPL victory celebrations on Wednesday left over 50 fans injured and eight people feared dead. The incident occurred as fans gathered to celebrate RCB’s IPL 2025 trophy win.The stampede happened when thousands of fans tried to rush into the stadium through various gates simultaneously. Police had to transport the injured to ambulances and move them to nearby Bowring Hospital.The authorities confirmed that two bodies are at Bowring Hospital and four at Vaidehi Hospital. Six persons are receiving treatment in Vaidehi Hospital’s ICU, with three others admitted to intensive care. Sources confirmed two additional deaths. ‘A particularly special feeling’: Andy Flower hails Virat Kohli, RCB after historic title win Emergency response was hampered as ambulances struggled to navigate through overcrowded roads to reach hospitals.The Karnataka government had previously cancelled the victory parade from Vidhana Soudha to Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium due to security concerns.“Unbelievable! Victory celebration broadcast of RCB parade continues. No mention of stampede. NOT DONE,” read a post on X.“1 parade, 0 brains, & now 7 funerals. What kind of idiots plans a mass celebration without barricades, without strategy? This isn’t a celebration gone wrong, this is an administration that went brain-dead,” posted a user on X.“The most gut-wrenching aspect of the #ChinnaswamyStadium stampede is the shocking apathy shown—celebrations continued as bodies lay lifeless. Where is our humanity? These young Kannadigas died for nothing, without even respect in death. It’s disgraceful, inhuman, and unforgivable. Those responsible must be named, shamed, and held criminally accountable,” posted another user.The incident sparked widespread criticism on social media, with people questioning why celebrations continued while people were fighting for their lives outside the stadium.