Virat Kohli once again proved why he remains one of the biggest match-winners in IPL history. The RCB superstar delivered on the grandest stage and achieved multiple milestones during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s title-winning triumph over Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2026 final.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) successfully defended their Indian Premier League (IPL) crown after defeating Gujarat Titans (GT) by five wickets in the IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. At the heart of the triumph was Kohli who produced another masterclass in a pressure game. The former RCB captain remained unbeaten on 75 off 42 deliveries and anchored the chase flawlessly as Bengaluru chased down the 156-run target with ease.
His match-winning knock earned him the Player of the Match award, making it the first IPL final Player of the Match award of his illustrious career.
Virat Kohli joins elite IPL six-hitting club
Apart from lifting his second consecutive IPL trophy with RCB, Kohli also added another major milestone to his remarkable resume.
The batting icon became only the fourth player in IPL history to smash 200 or more sixes as an opener. Earlier this season, KL Rahul had also reached the landmark.
Most sixes in IPL as an opener
1. Chris Gayle – 326
2. KL Rahul – 210
3. David Warner – 210
4. Virat Kohli – 202
5. Rohit Sharma – 161
Kohli surpasses Rohit Sharma in elite IPL record
The IPL 2026 final turned out to be a historic night for Kohli in more ways than one.
The Player of the Match award was the 22nd of his IPL career, helping him surpass Rohit Sharma’s tally of 21 awards. Kohli is now the Indian player with the most Player of the Match awards in IPL history.
He is currently level with Chris Gayle on 22 awards, while AB de Villiers remains at the top of the all-time list with 25 Player of the Match honours.
RCB dominate GT to retain IPL crown
Earlier, Gujarat Titans suffered a disastrous start after losing key batters Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler cheaply.
Washington Sundar stood tall amid the collapse with a fighting unbeaten half-century, but a lack of support from the other end prevented GT from posting a competitive total.
RCB’s bowling attack delivered a clinical performance, with Rasikh Salam Dar starring with three wickets. Experienced pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood chipped in with two wickets apiece to restrict Gujarat to 155.
In reply, Bengaluru remained in control throughout the chase. Kohli anchored the innings expertly and ensured there were no late hiccups as RCB completed another memorable title-winning campaign.
