IPL 2026 Final: Royal Challengers Bengaluru joined an elite club on Sunday by becoming only the third team in IPL history, after Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, to successfully defend their title. RCB’s victory over Gujarat Titans sparked wild celebrations on and off the field, with one particular moment grabbing the attention of fans on social media.
As players, support staff and family members celebrated the historic triumph, a video of RCB batting coach Dinesh Karthik sharing a warm hug with Virat Kohli’s wife, Anushka Sharma, went viral. Kohli, who was standing nearby during the celebrations, appeared completely unfazed, and his calm reaction quickly became a talking point among fans online.
The celebrations reflected the joy of a memorable night for RCB, who successfully chased down the target to retain the trophy. Anushka Sharma joined the players and support staff in celebrating the title win, sharing emotional moments with members of the franchise after the final.
On the field, Virat Kohli once again proved why he remains one of the finest chasers in world cricket. The veteran batter anchored RCB’s innings with a match-winning unbeaten 75, guiding his side to victory against Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2026 final. Kohli sealed the win in style with a six on the final ball of the 18th over, finishing with three sixes and nine fours in his 42-ball knock.
While Venkatesh Iyer provided an explosive start with 32 runs off just 16 deliveries, it was Kohli who ensured RCB remained in control throughout the chase of 156. His composed innings kept the required run rate under check and laid the foundation for another title-winning performance.
Kohli also enjoyed an outstanding season with the bat. The 37-year-old scored 675 runs in IPL 2026 at a strike rate of 165.84, silencing critics who had questioned his scoring rate in previous seasons. Only Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ishan Kishan scored more than 600 runs at a better strike rate than Kohli this season. He finished the campaign with 73 fours and 25 sixes, playing a crucial role in RCB’s successful title defence.
