AHMEDABAD, India — Royal Challengers Bengaluru earned their first Indian Premier League title by beating Punjab Kings by six runs on Tuesday.
Bengaluru finished runners-up in 2009, 2011 and 2016, but finally won at the Narendra Modi Stadium — thanks largely to Krunal Pandya's sensational spell of 2-17 in four overs.
Virat Kohli shed a tear as Bengaluru clinched victory to conclude the 18th season of the world's most popular T20 tournament.
''This win is as much for the fans as it is for the team. It has been 18 long years,'' said Kohli, who has been associated with Bengaluru since the inaugural edition in 2008.
''I have given my youth, my prime. I gave it everything I have — I never thought this day would come. I was overcome with emotion as soon as the last ball was bowled.''
Kohli top-scored for Bengaluru with 43 runs off 35 balls to help put up 190-9 in 20 overs. Punjab pacers Arshdeep Singh (3-40) and Kyle Jamieson (3-48) shared six wickets between them.
Punjab's reply stuttered after a good start and despite a consolation half-century from Shashank Singh, it fell short and finished with 184-7 (20 overs).
Put into bat, Bengaluru lost Phil Salt for 16 runs. It slowed down Kohli, who only hit three fours in an uncharacteristic knock. The Indian batting star finished with 700 runs in 16 matches this season — third in the highest run-scorers' list.
