Media365
Even before the first ball was bowled, the stage at the Narendra Modi Stadium was set for something special and it began with Virat Kohli’s entrance. As the Royal Challengers Bengaluru opener walked out for pre-match routines, a growing crowd, still trickling in erupted into loud cheers. The stadium wasn’t yet full, but the atmosphere felt electric already. The chants of “Kohli! Kohli!” echoed across the world’s largest stadium, drowning out even the stadium announcers. From fans waving RCB flags to others simply screaming their hearts out, it was clear—this was no ordinary cricketer, and no ordinary final. For Kohli, it was a chance to chase down the one missing piece in his glittering legacy: the IPL trophy. The match had already been loaded with tension. PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bowl, trusting his bowlers under the lights. Rajat Patidar, calm as ever, said it was “just another away game” for his side. But the roar that greeted Kohli said otherwise. The stakes are massive, the pressure immense, but when Kohli entered the arena, it felt like a moment frozen in time—one last dance, maybe, for an icon still chasing IPL glory.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarawal, Rajat Patidar(c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma(w), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh HazlewoodPunjab Kings (Playing XI): Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Kyle Jamieson, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
