Indian Premier League: Virat Kohli in tears as Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Punjab Kings in IPL final

Royal Challengers Bengaluru have won the Indian Premier League for the first time in their history after holding on for a six-run victory over Punjab Kings in Monday’s final.

Virat Kohli top-scored with 43 as RCB posted 190-9 after being put into bat by PBKS, who saw Arshdeep Singh (3-40) take three wickets in the final over after Kyle Jamieson (3-48) impressed.

A 43-run opening stand ended when Phil Salt produced a brilliant catch on the boundary rope off Josh Hazlewood, to remove Priyansh Arya (24), while Krunal Pandya (2-17) took key wickets of Josh Inglis (39) and Prabhsimran Singh (26) to halt their chase.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Phil Salt takes an incredible catch near the boundary line that dismisses Priyansh Arya in IPL final

PBKS' hopes took a further setback when Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed two wickets in an over, with Shashank Singh's stunning 61 from 30 deliveries helping them to 184-7 but short of their victory target of 191.

RCB's victory marks a long-awaited maiden IPL title for Kohli, who has been an ever-present part of their IPL squad since 2008 and has been part of all three previous runner-up finishes for the franchise.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Watch the moment that Kohli and his team-mates were confirmed as Indian Premier League champions for the first time in their history

How RCB claimed historic IPL victory

Jamieson made the early breakthrough for PBKS in the second over when captain Shreyas Iyer took a smart catch at long on to remove Salt (16), who was among the RCB players unable to build on promising starts to their innings.

Mayank Agarwal (24) was removed by Yuzvendra Chahal just two balls after the power play and captain Rajat Patidar (25) was trapped LBW by Jamieson, while Kohli struggled with his timing and found just three boundaries in his 35-ball innings.

Image: RCB's captain Rajat Patidar, left, fist bumps with his batting partner Virat Kohli during their innings

Kohli was eventually dismissed by a smart caught and bowled from Azmatullah Omarzai, leaving RCB 132-4 after 15 overs, with playing partner Liam Livingstone firing two sixes in his quickfire 25 before also falling LBW to Jamieson two overs later.

Livingstone was part of a 36-run stand from 12 deliveries with Jitesh Sharma (24 from 10) to raise the possibility of RCB passing 200, only for Arshdeep to take three wickets in the final over and set PKBS a victory target of 191.

Image: Kyle Jamieson claimed three wickets for the Punjab Kings

Punjab Kings made a strong start to their chase but saw Arya's dismissal in the fifth over halt their momentum, with Prabhsimran's innings ended via top edge off Pandya and followed by Shreyas edging Romario Shepherd behind in the next over.

Inglis fired four sixes in his 23-ball 39 to try and keep up with the growing run-rate but picked out Livingstone at the boundary to leave them 98-4, before a mid-innings charge was ended when Bhuvneshwar removed Nehal Wadhera (15) and Marcus Stoinis (six) in the same over.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Josh Inglis' innings was ended by an impressive Liam Livingstone catch on the boundary

PKBS needed 29 from Hazlewood's last over despite some late power hitting from Shashank, who reached his 29-ball half-century when he top-edged the penultimate ball of the innings over the keeper.

Shashank closed an unbeaten innings with a final-ball maximum, his sixth of the innings, although the RCB players were already celebrating at the Narendra Modi Stadium as Kohli sunk to his knees in emotion.

Image: Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Virat Kohli have won the Indian Premier League for the first time

Kohli proud of 'amazing' IPL success

"This win is as much for the fans as it is for the team," Kohli said. "It's been 18 long years. I've given this team my youth, my prime and my experience.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Kohli reacts to winning the his first IPL title with Royal Challengers Bengaluru

"I've tried to win this every season that I come and I give it everything I have. To finally have this moment come, it's an unbelievable feeling. I never thought this day would come. I was overcome with emotions as soon as the last ball was bowled and this means so much to me.

"I've given each and every ounce of my energy to this team and finally having won the IPL, it's an amazing feeling."

On where this ranks among his career highlights, Kohli added: "It's right up there, if I have to be honest. I've given everything that I had for the last 18 years and I've stayed loyal to this team, no matter what.

Image: Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kohli have won the Indian Premier League for the first time

"I've had moments where I thought otherwise, but I stuck to this team. I stood behind them, they stood behind me and I always dreamt of winning it with them. This is far more special than winning it with anyone else because my heart is with Bangalore, my soul is with Bangalore."

What's next?

Several players involved in the IPL final will be part of India's tour to England this summer, with a five-match Test series starting at Headingley on June 20 and live on Sky Sports.

India's women are also touring England later this month, with a five-match T20I series beginning on June 28 ahead of a three-match ODI series starting on July 16. Stream cricket with NOW.

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