AHMEDABAD: Finally it had to happen.Virat Kohli Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) sealed their second consecutive IPL title by chasing down 156 runs to beat Gujarat Titans by five wickets in a one-sided final at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday night.‘King’ Kohli finished off Arshad Khan for a six over long-on with two overs to spare, a dominant performance.Unbeaten on 75 off 42 balls (9×4, 3×6), Kohli scored a scintillating century under pressure, hitting a 25-ball half-century, the fastest of his IPL career, to ensure that the RCB bowlers’ earlier impressive performance did not go in vain. As chants of his name echoed through the 90,000-plus packed stadium, the modern great delivered another emphatic performance on the biggest stage.RCB thus became only the third team after Chennai Super Kings (2010-11) and Mumbai Indians (2019-20) to win the IPL title, a remarkable turnaround for a franchise that had long suffered from near misses.Batting first after losing the toss, Gujarat Titans never recovered from the initial setback and were restricted to 155 for eight. Josh Hazlewood (2-37) And Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2-29) Set the tone with disciplined, tight lengths on a dynamic level in the power play. The valuable wickets of Shibman Gill (10) and Sai Sudharsan (12) effectively broke the backbone of GT’s batting.Rasukh Salam then ensured there was no respite for the hosts, taking an impressive 3-27. Wickets from pacers Nishant Sindhu, Rahul Tivat and Rashid Khan capped a brilliant campaign in which he took 19 wickets in 12 matches, and staked a strong claim for India selection. Krunal Pandya completed the fast bowlers brilliantly, returning to 1-23 and removing Jos Buttler (19) with a brilliant delivery.Also read: Virat Kohli hits a six to clinch the title, Anushka Sharma celebratesIf GT crossed 150, it was largely because of Washington Sundar’s 37-ball 50-run fightback. Walking into a critical situation, the all-rounder showed guts and determination, helping the Titans reach 63 for two at the halfway point to add 92 in the last 10 overs. However, the effort was not enough to turn the tide. The Titans’ downfall was due to poor shot selection and failure to build partnerships. Hazlewood was pulled by Gayle’s neutral approach, which resulted in a simple catch to Rajat Patidar. Sudharsan soon followed it up with a top bouncer from Bhuvneshwar. At 26 for two, GT were already on the back foot, exposing an inexperienced middle order.Also read: Virat Kohli reveals his lifelong wish for an IPL finalTheir biggest partnership was a mere 29 runs for the third wicket between Butler and Sindhu, reflecting an innings that never gained momentum. There were only three sixes in total, highlighting RCB’s control of the ball and GT’s lack of intent. RCB’s chase was strong from the start. Kohli and impact player Venkatesh Iyer (32 off 16) put on a blistering 62 off just 27 balls to take early control. Although Rashid Khan raised hopes briefly with a double strike in the ninth over, when he dismissed Patidar (15) and Krunal (1), there was no doubt about the end result in a brilliant touch with Kohli.Also read: Record broken! Virat Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer chase down RCB’s storm in fastest fifty script in IPL finals history
