RCB fans can finally and proudly claim ‘Ee Sala Cup Namde’ (The cup will be ours this year). Ending the 18-year wait, the Royal Challengers Benguluru (RCB) has lifted its maiden IPL trophy. RCB has defeated the Punjab Kings in a nail-biting finale at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Batting first, RCB posted a solid total of 190 in 20 overs. RCB’s star batsman Virat Kohli made 43 runs off 35 balls, ending up being the highest scorer of his team. Chasing a huge total, the Punjab Kings had a decent start but lost quick wickets and ended their chase at 184 in 20 overs. PBKS Captain Shreyas Iyer disappointed fans by getting out for just 1 run in a crucial finale.
Talking about his maiden IPL trophy, a visibly emotional Virat Kohli, who recently announced his retirement from international test cricket, described the landmark victory as “an unbelievable and emotional moment.” RCB earlier stood as the runners-up thrice in the 2009, 2011, and 2016 editions.