RCB vs PBKS: Hundreds of Virat Kohli fans, wearing his No 18 jersey, flocked outside the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad as the Royal Challengers Bangalore took on the Punjab Kings in the IPL final on Tuesday. Videos from the stadium showed fans cheering for the former RCB skipper, who is aiming to win his first IPL trophy in 18 years.
As the video of Kohli fans went viral, social media users dubbed Kohli as ‘the last of the stars’ – a quote famously used by Shah Rukh Khan on Anupam Kher’s talk show ‘Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai’.
“The Biggest Superstar of Indian Cricket,” one person said on X, platform formerly known as Twitter. They also posted a photo from outside the stadium.
“Virat Kohli – The Last Superstar of Indian Cricket !” another person added.
“When Virat Kohli plays, every ground in the world becomes his home ground,” a third person tweeted.
Kohli, the IPL’s highest run-getter, has been a part of RCB’s core group for 18 years. The team managed to reach the final in 2009, 2011 and 2016. But their maiden trophy remains elusive. On Tuesday, Virat Kohli will get his fourt shot at the prized IPL trophy.
Kohli has an average of 36 (1116 from 35 games) against PBKS, but in recent times, he has managed to average 62.5 runs (375 runs from eight games).
While Shreyas Iyer has already led two sides (Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders) to the IPL final, his current team, Punjab Kings, is yet to achieve the ultimate glory. On Tuesday, the PBKS skipper won the toss and chose to bowl.
RCB vs PBKS playing 11
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarawal, Rajat Patidar(c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma(w), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood
Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Kyle Jamieson, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
