Chase master Kohli seals title with six, scripts another memorable finish and milestone

Indian cricket fans will forever remember the six that M S Dhoni launched into the stands to seal India's 2011 World Cup triumph. On Sunday night in Ahmedabad, Virat Kohli produced a finishing touch of his own, smashing a six to secure Royal Challengers Bengaluru's second IPL title and their second successive crown.

Chasing 156 in the IPL final against Gujarat Titans, Kohli once again lived up to his reputation as the 'Chase Master', remaining unbeaten on 75 off 42 deliveries and guiding RCB home with authority.

The manner of victory made the moment even more memorable. With RCB needing five runs to win, Kohli took strike for what proved to be the final ball of the contest. After driving a boundary that brought the equation down to one, many expected him to simply knock off the winning run.

Instead, Kohli opened his stance and launched the next delivery over long-on for a towering six, sealing the title in emphatic fashion. As the ball sailed into the stands, he pointed towards the crowd and celebrated as his teammates rushed onto the field to join the jubilant scenes.

The final also marked a personal milestone for the former India captain. Kohli brought up his half-century in just 25 balls — the fastest IPL fifty of his career. His previous quickest fifty had come off 26 deliveries during the 2018 season against Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Daredevils.

The unbeaten knock also took his tally for the season to 675 runs, marking the fourth consecutive IPL campaign in which he has crossed the 600-run mark. He finished among the leading run-scorers of the tournament and once again proved instrumental to RCB's success.

Having finally broken their title drought last season, RCB showed that their first triumph was no one-off. Led by Kohli's composure and finishing brilliance, the Bengaluru franchise successfully defended its crown to claim a second IPL title.

"We've had to wait for so long and then just to have a group of guys where you feel like you're stepping onto the ground, you don't need to be the one to step up every time," Kohli said after the victory.