"We Don't Poke": Virat Kohli Takes Sly Dig At IPL Teams Immediately After RCB's Triumph

Virat Kohli in IPL 2026 (Source: AP)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) successfully defended their IPL crown as they defeated Gujarat Titans (GT) by five wickets in the IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. 

Chasing a target of 156, for RCB, Virat Kohli delivered a magnificent unbeaten knock and made 75 runs off 42 balls at a strike rate of 178.57.

Virat Kohli Leads From The Front In IPL 2026 Final

After winning the toss, RCB elected to bowl first and immediately put Gujarat Titans under pressure. Their bowlers kept GT’s batting line-up quiet throughout the innings.

Rasikh Salam starred with the ball, claiming three wickets, while Krunal Pandya and the rest of the bowling attack chipped in with crucial breakthroughs. 

GT captain Shubman Gill managed just 10 runs, Sai Sudharsan scored 12, and Jos Buttler failed to make an impact. 

Washington Sundar's unbeaten 50 off 37 balls was the only major resistance as Gujarat Titans finished on 155/8.

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In reply, RCB got off to a strong start thanks to Venkatesh Iyer, who smashed 32 runs from just 16 deliveries. However, Gujarat fought back by dismissing Iyer, Devdutt Padikkal and Rajat Patidar in quick succession.

Despite the wickets falling around him, Kohli remained calm and in complete control. The veteran batter played with authority and never allowed the required run rate to become an issue. 

He remained unbeaten on 75 from just 42 balls, striking nine boundaries and three sixes at a remarkable strike rate of 178.57. 

Even after appearing to struggle with a leg issue midway through the chase, Kohli continued batting and ensured there were no late scares. He eventually finished the match in style by hitting Arshad Khan for a six.

Virat Kohli Reflects On A Dream Final

Virat Kohli was named Player of the Final after his match-winning innings and admitted that lifting the trophy in such fashion was something he had imagined for years.

"[On saving his best for the last] Well, it is stuff that you dream of. I have thought of this moment many times. You know when you win the IPL, I should be standing there and hit the winning runs. Tonight it was possible. It was a dream day for us. 

As I mentioned straight after the match, was feeling really confident and relaxed coming into the game. The kind of team we have, it gives you confidence to see any kind of situation through. In a chase, I felt really comfortable out there knowing exactly what to do.

Also Read: List Of All IPL 2026 Award Winners

[On role clarity] Absolutely. The first target was to finish at the top of the table and we did that. A lot of people asked us whom do we want to face in the final. We just said it doesn't matter, we just want to focus on RCB and not the other teams. 

We are going to be respectful to all the other teams. s We are happy to carry on playing professional cricket. The experience always shines through. You can have all the excitement and slam bang in the word, come the big stage, you want the old boys to step up."

The batting great also praised the confidence and balance within the RCB squad, saying the team gave him belief to handle any situation during the chase.

It is important to mention that this year IPL was all about banter and memes. Several teams such as PBKS, KKR, and DC took digs at the RCB. So after the RCB vs GT final match, Virat Kohli stated that as a franchise they do not poke any team.

Records Continue To Fall For Kohli

Virat Kohli's also made several records, he became the Player of the Match in an IPL final for the first time and recorded his highest score in IPL playoff matches with an unbeaten 75.

The innings also helped him climb to third place on the list of highest run-scorers in IPL finals with 214 runs, behind only Suresh Raina and Shane Watson.

In IPL playoff and knockout matches, Kohli now has 514 runs from 19 innings, including three half-centuries.

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