PBKS

New Delhi: A crowd of over 91,000 in red jerseys bore witness to a moment generations of Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans thought might never come. RCB — perpetual entertainers but eternally jinxed — had finally broken the jinx. Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli celebrates the wicket of Punjab Kings’ Shreyas Iyer. (REUTERS) And standing tall in the midst of it all was the guy who fell to his knees when history was finally made – Virat Kohli, the face and heart of the franchise, the only player to have played for a solitary franchise since the inception of IPL and his own individual career. “This win is as much for the fans as it is for the team,” Kohli told the broadcasters. “It’s been 18 long years. I’ve given this team my youth, my prime, my experience. Every single season, I’ve walked out with a heart full of hope and a mind obsessed with victory. To finally have this moment… it’s beyond belief.” The burden of bringing home the trophy weighed heavy on him, to the point that he had to step away from captaincy, Kohli had acknowledged earlier in a separate interview. And in the twilight of his career, Kohli’s Royal dream came true. Although he did state his intent to carry on further, it was a kind of closure. “I never thought this day would come. I was overcome with emotion the moment that last delivery was bowled. I had nothing left in me — every ounce of energy, every drop of sweat, I gave it to this cause. And tonight, it all came back full circle.” But Kohli’s joy wasn’t solitary. He was quick to turn the spotlight toward someone who has been iconic and central to RCB’s legacy — AB de Villiers, who played 157 matches for the team between 2011 and 2021, scoring 4522 runs for them. “What AB has done for this franchise is phenomenal. I told him, ‘This win is as much yours as it is ours. You have to celebrate with us.’ Even after four years of retirement, he’s still probably our most frequent Player of the Match. That tells you everything about his impact — not just on the league or the team, but on me personally. He deserves to be here, on this podium, lifting this cup.” Kohli didn’t hesitate to acknowledge that this moment was right up there in his storied career. “It’s right up there. Maybe at the very top. I’ve had chances to move on, to switch teams, but I stayed. I stuck through the tough years. I believed in this badge, this city. Bangalore is not just a franchise for me — it’s home. My heart and soul are here. And I always dreamt of winning with them. That makes this even more special.” “As a sportsperson, you dream of big moments. And the IPL — this tournament — it’s one of the biggest. I wanted this. Not just for my legacy, but for this group. For the fans who’ve stood by us. For the city that’s sung our name. And tonight, I can finally sleep like a baby.” Although Kohli has retired from two formats of the game – Tests and T20Is – he will continue to ply his trade for in ODIs and for RCB in the IPL. And so, despite the title win, Kohli will turn up for RCB yet again. “I know I don’t have many years left in the game. But by the time I hang up my boots, I want to look back and say I gave everything. I still want to field every ball, chase down everything, be more than just an impact player. That’s who I am. I was blessed with the talent, yes — but more than that, I was blessed with perspective.” He made it a point to celebrate the collective. “This management, this group — they’ve been outstanding. People questioned our auction strategy, mocked our picks. But we knew what we were building. Match-winners, risk-takers, people who believe. And when the pressure came, this squad stood tall.” The almost cult-like fanbase of the franchise was also not left out in his acknowledgement. After all, it was a long, long test of their loyalty to him and the franchise. “This win isn’t mine. It’s not just the team’s. It belongs to Bangalore. To every fan who waited 18 years. To every family member, every support staff, every person who stood by us. We are champions. And we did it — together.”