18 years! That's how long Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and their passionate fanbase waited for this moment. After years of heartbreaks and near-misses, RCB finally got their hands on their first-ever Indian Premier League (IPL) title on Tuesday night (June 3) in Ahmedabad. In a high-stakes final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, they defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs, scripting a night to remember in cricketing history.
The celebrations that followed was electric. Virat Kohli, who has been synonymous with RCB, was at the forefront — not just holding the trophy, but carrying the joy and relief of millions of fans who had stuck with the team through every season of hope and heartbreak.
Amid the jubilation, Kohli turned to two RCB legends by his side — Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers — and delivered a message that lit up the fandom: "I hope these two are coming to Bengaluru with us tomorrow. It's going to be something special — I hope you guys cover it."
The moment quickly went viral, and broadcaster Star Sports was quick to respond.?"YES! We are covering it, Virat,"?they wrote on social media, sharing an image of the iconic trio back together again.
The broadcasting channel announced that the special coverage would kick off at 8:30 AM IST on Wednesday, with RCB's victory parade in Bengaluru to follow later in the day. Exact timings for the procession will be revealed soon.
Streets are sure to turn red and gold, echoing the chants of devoted fans who have waited nearly two decades for this day. With a victory parade, fan events, and the emotional return of Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Chris Gayle together once more, Wednesday is set to be nothing short of historic.??
A very emotional Kohli reflected on the journey and the teammates who had walked it with him after the win. He said, "I have spent my prime years with them. I know how much we tried to win this. We were so close a couple of times… We gave our prime years to this franchise."