Kohli powers RCB to back-to-back IPL titles with five-wicket win over Gujarat

Virat Kohli produced a match-winning unbeaten 75 as Royal Challengers Bengaluru clinched a second consecutive Indian Premier League title with a five-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans on Sunday.

Chasing 156, RCB reached 161 for five in 18 overs, with Kohli remaining unbeaten on 75 from 42 deliveries. His innings included nine fours and three sixes, and he brought up the fastest IPL fifty of his career in just 25 balls. The chase was built around a 62-run opening partnership between Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer, who made 32. Kohli stayed till the end and finished the contest with a six.

Earlier, defending champions RCB delivered a disciplined bowling performance to restrict Gujarat Titans to 155 for eight in their 20 overs. Rasikh Salam Dar was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/27, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood claimed two wickets each. Gujarat’s batting struggled after losing their in-form batters inside the powerplay, and a rejigged batting order failed to recover momentum.

Washington Sundar top-scored for the Titans with an unbeaten 50, but none of the other batters were able to take control of the innings.

Brief Scores: Gujarat Titans 155 for 8 in 20 overs (Washington Sundar 50 not out; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2/29, Josh Hazlewood 2/37, Rasikh Salam 3/27).

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 161/5 in 18 overs (Venkatesh Iyer 32, Virat Kohli 75 not out; Rashid Khan 2/25).

Champions once.
Champions again. ❤️🏆 pic.twitter.com/Q5BDhzExIP

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 31, 2026

RCB captain Rajat Patidar credited head coach Andy Flower for helping transform the team’s culture and playing a key role in the franchise retaining the IPL title.

Flower, who was appointed ahead of the 2024 season, has overseen a period in which Bengaluru have shed the “nearly men” label that followed them after three runner-up finishes in the first 17 editions of the IPL.

“I’ve played five seasons of the IPL and he is one of the best coaches. The way he handles players, not only those who play,” Patidar told reporters.

“For him, the players who aren’t playing, the first-timers, he spends a lot of time with every individual. I don’t have words to express, but he’s the best coach I’ve played under.

“The (team) culture has changed. I don’t know what it was before 2021. But from when I’ve come in, there have been a lot of changes in the mindset of players. The coaching staff treats every player equally – that’s a big change.”

Speaking at a press conference in the early hours of Monday, Patidar said Bengaluru had set their sights on becoming the first team to win three IPL titles in a row.

Kohli, meanwhile, said a change in mindset and encouragement from younger teammates had helped him adapt and evolve his T20 approach.

The Indian batter said he needed a change in mindset and some pushing from “super young” players to reinvent his T20 game.

His unbeaten 75 against Gujarat Titans not only guided RCB to their second successive IPL title but also fulfilled a long-held ambition of hitting the winning runs for the franchise in an IPL final.

Kohli’s innings formed the foundation of Bengaluru’s title-winning performance, and he expressed satisfaction with the consistency he maintained throughout the season.

(With inputs from agencies)