Virat Kohli Powers RCB to Thrilling 5-Wicket Triumph Over Gujarat in IPL 2024 Final

Bengaluru’s Royal Challengers (RCB) scripted a historic IPL 2024 victory on Saturday at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, overcoming Gujarat Titans in a nerve-wracking final to lift their maiden championship. Led by captain Virat Kohli, RCB chased down a challenging target of 201 runs with just five wickets lost and one ball remaining, in a match that will be remembered for its drama and Kohli’s all-round brilliance.

The final began with Gujarat electing to bat first after winning the toss. Their top order, including openers Sai Sudharsan and Wriddhiman Saha, laid a solid foundation, with Sudharsan scoring 47 off 34 balls. However, a middle-order collapse saw Gujarat stumble to 163 for 6 by the 18th over. Despite late fifties from David Miller (39 off 23) and Rahul Tewatia (31 off 12), Gujarat finished at 199 for 7 in 20 overs.

RCB’s chase got off to a shaky start as they lost Faf du Plessis early, but Kohli (54 off 43) and Rajat Patidar (47 off 31) steadied the innings with a crucial 92-run partnership. The game swung dramatically when Kohli took the new ball and dismissed Sai Sudharsan in the 17th over, triggering a Gujarat collapse. With 22 runs needed off 12 balls, RCB required a composed finish, which came courtesy of Glenn Maxwell’s unbeaten 13 off 6 balls.