After 17 seasons of heartbreaks and near misses, Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally ended their wait for glory, securing their first-ever IPL title with a thrilling 6-run win over Punjab Kings in the 2025 final. The historic victory sparked massive celebrations, and for Virat Kohli ¡ª the franchise¡¯s longest-serving face ¡ª it meant even more, as he shared an emotional note on Instagram the morning after the win.
Virat Kohli pens heartfelt note after lifting trophy
On Wednesday morning, Virat Kohli took to Instagram to share a powerful message alongside four unforgettable photos to celebrate the win. The first showed the squad claiming their championship title; the second captured the team lifting the IPL trophy mid-celebration; the third featured Kohli alongside Jitesh Sharma and Rajat Patidar; and the fourth was a personal moment ¡ª Kohli alone, holding the trophy that had eluded him for 18 long years.
In his caption, he wrote, "This team made the dream possible, a season I¡¯ll never ever forget. We¡¯ve thoroughly enjoyed the ride over the last 2.5 months. This one is for the fans of RCB who never ever left our side in the worst of times. This one is for all the years of heartbreak and disappointment. This is for every inch of effort left on the field playing for this team. As far as the IPL trophy is concerned, you¡¯ve made me wait 18 years to be able to lift it and celebrate, my friend, but it¡¯s been absolutely worth the wait. ?? ?@royalchallengers.bengaluru"
Shared just a few minutes ago, the post quickly went viral, amassing over 5 million likes and more than 50,000 comments within the first hour.
As part of the celebrations, RCB announced a city-wide victory parade to honour the unwavering support of their fans ¡ª often dubbed the ¡°12th Man Army.¡± The parade will take place in Bengaluru, starting from Vidhana Soudha and concluding at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 5 from 3:30 PM onwards.
RCB captioned their announcement with "RCB Victory Parade in Bengaluru.This one¡¯s for you, 12th Man Army. For every cheer, every tear, every year.
Loyalty is royalty¡ªand today, the crown is yours.¡±
The franchise also mentioned that more details regarding fan access, security, and route maps will be released soon.
During the post-match presentation last night, Kohli, visibly moved, said, "This win is as much for the fans as it is for the team." "It's been 18 long years. I've given this team my youth, my prime and my experience. I've tried to win this every season when I come, and give it everything I have. To have this moment is an unbelievable feeling.
"I never thought this day would come. I was overcome with emotion as soon as the last ball was bowled. This means so much to me. I've given each and every ounce of my energy to this team. To have finally won the IPL is an amazing feeling."
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