Emotional Kohli Breaks Down as RCB Secures Historic IPL 2025 Title Win

In a profoundly emotional instant which reflected the feeling of an 18-year sojourn, Virat Kohli was seen crying visibly after Royal Challengers Bengaluru managed to pip Punjab Kings by six runs and lift the IPL 2025 title.

Kohli, the only player ever in IPL history to play for one franchise in his career, dropped to his knees as the last ball went over the ropes. Overcome with feelings, he was quickly mobbed by ecstatic teammates, winning a historic victory that had long evaded both him and the team.

Going into the final, RCB captain Rajat Patidar had made it very clear that the team was playing for Kohli — a feeling that could be seen in the passion and intensity on the field. "We want to win it for him," Patidar had confidently declared, and the team fulfilled that promise in style.

Adding to the emotional weight of the occasion was a familiar face in the stands — AB de Villiers. The former South African wicketkeeper-batter and Kohli’s longtime RCB ally was seen animatedly cheering from the sidelines at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The duo shared a special moment when Kohli celebrated Marcus Stoinis’ dismissal during Punjab's innings, turning to the stands to exchange a fist bump with his old friend.

Punjab's pursuit of 191 started on shaky ground in the 17th over, with the fall of Nehal Wadhera off the very first ball. Marcus Stoinis arrived with 55 runs to get from 22 balls and struck a six straightaway. But Bhuvneshwar Kumar hit back hard, getting a thin edge from Stoinis on the very next delivery — a big wicket that swayed the game in favor of RCB.

RCB had previously earned a spot in the final following their second-place finish in the league stage and destroying table-leading Punjab Kings by eight wickets in Qualifier 1. Punjab bounced back strongly in Qualifier 2, thrashing the Mumbai Indians to arrange a rematch with RCB in the high-pressure final.

Declining to bat second in the final, RCB scored a fighting 190/9 when they used their trademark 20 overs — a score that would eventually end up being just sufficient to make them champions for the first time ever in their IPL career.