Royal Challengers Bengaluru made history when they earned their first Indian Premier League title by defeating Punjab Kings by 6 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Bengaluru finished runners-up in 2009, 2011 and 2016, but finally won. Bengaluru’s victory concluded the 18th season of the world’s most popular T20 tournament.
Thanks mainly to Krunal Pandya’s spell of 2-17 in 4 overs.
“This win is as much for the fans as it is for the team. It has been 18 long years,” said an emotional Virat Kohli, who has been with Bengaluru since the inaugural edition in 2008.
“I have given my youth, my prime. I gave it everything I have, I never thought this day would come. I was overcome with emotion as soon as the last ball was bowled.”
Kohli top-scored with 43 runs off 35 balls as Bengaluru scored a total of 190-9 in 20 overs. Punjab pacers Arshdeep Singh, 3-40 and Kyle Jamieson, 3-48, shared 6 wickets between them.
Punjab’s reply stuttered, despite a half-century from Shashank Singh, and fell short to finish with 184-7 from 20 overs.
Sent in to bat, Bengaluru lost Phil Salt early for just 16 runs. It slowed down Kohli a bit, who put on vital partnerships with Mayank Agarwal (24) and skipper Rajat Patidar (26).
Azmatullah Omarzai got the vital wicket of Kohli, while Jamieson picked up his second wicket trapping Patidar lbw.
With the score being 131-4 in 14.5 overs, Jitesh Sharma then smacked two sixes and two fours to score 24 off ten balls, while Liam Livingstone also hit two sixes in 25 off 15 balls, it was just enough to push Bengaluru past 190.
In reply, Punjab had a good start as Priyansh Arya (24) and Prabhsimran Singh (26) put on 43 off 30 balls.
Phil Salt caught Arya off Josh Hazlewood’s delivery and then Pandya struck, having Singh caught by Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
The turning point came in the 10th over as Shreyas Iyer was caught for one off Romario Shepherd.
Josh Inglis scored 39 off 23 balls, including 4 sixes, but was caught off a delivery from Pandya in the 13th over hampering Kings’ chase.
It was difficult after that for Punjab to score as Bengaluru bowlers squeezed the run-rate.
Shashank Singh scored 61 not out off 30 balls, including 6 sixes but was only able to lessen the run chase as the side still fell short.
