Kohli’s 43 from 35 balls at the top of the order set up Bengaluru for an imposing total of 190-9 which was one big blow too many for a Punjab side that battled until the end, finishing on 184-7.
More than 91,000 fans packed into the 132,000-capacity stadium in Ahmedabad, a sea of Bengaluru’s red and Kohli’s jersey number 18 dominating the stands as chants of “Kohli, Kohli” rang out.
They celebrated noisily when Kohli and RCB clinched victory for the first time in the 18 years of the IPL, their three previous finals having all ended in defeat.
The 36-year-old Kohli, one of India’s all-time greats in all formats of the game, collapsed on the ground after the win and then got up to be hugged by his teammates as the crowd celebrated their hero.
“This win is as much for the fans as it is for the team, it’s been 18 long years,” said Kohli. “I’ve given this team my youth, my prime, my experience. I gave it everything I have. I never thought this day would come. I was overcome with emotion as soon as the last ball was bowled.”
“I have stayed loyal to this team, no matter what,” he added. “My heart is with Bangalore, my soul is with Bangalore and this is the team I’ll play for till the last day I play the IPL.”
Punjab faltered in their chase after left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya took 2-17 from his four overs.
Shashank Singh hit a valiant 61 not out and finished with three sixes and a four off Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood who defended 29 runs in the final over.
Hazlewood, who took 3-21 against Punjab in last week’s qualifier win after recovering from a shoulder injury, struck first to send back left-handed Priyansh Arya for 24 with Phil Salt taking a stunning catch at the ropes.
Impact substitute Prabhsimran Singh was the next to go off Pandya but the Bengaluru crowd went wild when Romario Shepherd had skipper Shreyas Iyer caught behind for one.
Pandya stuck again to cut short Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis’ stay on 39 and Bengaluru seized momentum and Shashank’s late blitz was not enough.
“I am very proud of each and every individual who has participated in this team,” said Iyer. “There are a lot of youngsters who are playing their first season, they’ve shown a lot of fearlessness. We wouldn’t be here without them. Kudos to them.”
Bengaluru had the perfect start as ‘King Kohli’ dug in. Far from his fluent best, he only struck three fours during his innings but in the end it turned out to be key.
He lost opening partner Salt for 16 when New Zealand quick Kyle Jamieson struck in his first over to have the England batter caught in the deep off Iyer.
Kohli anchored the innings, sharing important partnerships with Mayank Agarwal, who made 24, and then skipper Rajat Patidar, who hit 26.
But Punjab kept chipping away with wickets as leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal got Agarwal and Jamieson trapped the captain lbw.
Kohli’s vigil ended when he mistimed a rising delivery from Afghanistan pace bowler Azmatullah Omarzai for a caught and bowled, the disappointment etched across his face mirrored by his fans.
Jamieson took his third wicket to cut short Liam Livingstone’s rampant 25 off 15 balls.
Wickets kept tumbling as wicketkeeper-batsman Jitesh Sharma fell for a 10-ball 24 and Romario Shepherd for 17 off nine balls.
Left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh took three wickets including Shepherd in the 20th over and gave away just three runs.
Bengaluru had defeated Punjab in the first playoff to book their fourth final.
The 18th edition of the world’s richest cricket league ended nine days late due to a pause because of the military conflict between India and Pakistan. (AFP)
