T20 World Cup
Virat Kohli reflected on one of the most memorable nights of his IPL career after guiding Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to a second consecutive Indian Premier League title with a match-winning unbeaten 75 against Gujarat Titans in the 2026 final. The veteran batter admitted that the pressure felt different compared to the previous season, with RCB entering the final confident in their abilities after finishing at the top of the league stage. Kohli’s unbeaten knock helped RCB chase down 156 runs and join Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians as the only teams to successfully defend an IPL title.
The 37-year-old described the victory as the fulfilment of a long-held dream. “It is the stuff that you dream of. I have thought of this moment many times, that, you know, once when we win the IPL, I should be standing there hitting the winning runs, and tonight it was possible. So yeah, just a dream day for us,” Kohli said after the match. He added that the team felt relaxed and confident heading into the final, allowing him to stay composed during the chase and execute his role perfectly.
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Kohli revealed that RCB’s belief grew stronger as the season progressed, particularly after a crucial win over Mumbai Indians. He pointed to the team’s consistency, balance and maturity as the key reasons behind their success. “I said to a few of the boys that it does not feel like the same pressure as last year. We knew what kind of ability we have in the group. We topped the table. There is a reason why we got here first. And we just said one thing: if we stick to our cricket, if we execute our plans, we are the best team in the comp,” he said.
The final also saw Kohli register the fastest half-century of his IPL career, reaching the landmark in just 25 balls. He explained that the aggressive approach was a response to the changing demands of modern T20 cricket. Despite recording four consecutive IPL seasons with more than 600 runs, Kohli said he had to evolve his mindset and become more proactive against the opposition’s best bowlers. “Such is the demand of the sport today. You have these super young players pushing you all the time and really asking you to change your game and up the ante,” he said.
Kohli also emphasized the importance of experience in high-pressure matches, saying that established players must take responsibility when championships are on the line. “You can have all the excitement and slam-bang in the world, but come the big situations, you need the big boys to step up. And that is exactly what we did,” he said. He added that RCB’s experienced core and strong dressing-room culture allowed players to perform with confidence, even in the biggest moments.
The former RCB captain credited head coach Andy Flower, batting coach Dinesh Karthik and Director of Cricket Mo Bobat for building a championship-winning squad. He also praised teammates including Venkatesh Iyer, whose aggressive batting in recent matches helped set the tone for the team. Kohli highlighted the depth within the squad, mentioning the contributions of bowlers such as Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jacob Duffy, Krunal Pandya and Rasikh Dar Salam throughout the campaign.
One of the most emotional parts of Kohli’s post-match comments was his tribute to RCB’s supporters. He noted that the franchise enjoys overwhelming support wherever it plays and said the fans deserved to celebrate another title. “We probably have 14 because everywhere we go, we have fans cheering the team and really getting behind us. Their support is priceless and really happy that they can celebrate us lifting the trophy tonight and witness that,” he said.
Kohli finished IPL 2026 as the fourth-highest run-scorer with 675 runs in 16 innings at an average of 56.25 and a strike rate of 165.84, including one century and five half-centuries. His unbeaten 75 in the final not only sealed another title for RCB but also reinforced his reputation as one of the greatest performers in cricket’s biggest matches.
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