Watch: Virat Kohli reflects on ‘folding hands’ reaction after winning IPL 2025 for RCB

The former captain of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Virat Kohli, has reflected on the ‘folding hands’ reaction after winning their maiden trophy in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, beating the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the final by six runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. 

Kohli is the only player to have played for one team in all 18 seasons of the league and was seen on his knees, head bowed to the turf, and in tears when the 2016 runners-up won the game. There were many emotional moments, with his wife, Anushka Sharma, and former teammates, AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle, in attendance.

‘Could experience this before…’ — Kohli opens up on the emotional reaction that moved a nation

The Delhi-born opened up on the emotional moment and admitted that the emotion was pure and rare because they won the trophy after a wait of 18 years. It wouldn’t have been the same had they known it in the earlier years.

Watch the emotional moment here: 

“In the end, I just folded my hands and said, ‘Thank you.’ That I could experience this before I stop playing. Although I wouldn’t have carried on regretting it, there was a part of me that wondered what it felt like to experience that moment. And I can, for sure, with absolute honesty and clarity, say that it wouldn’t have been 5% of the feeling I had if we won it in the earlier ways.” Virat Kohli said in a recent RCB podcast. 

“For that to happen after 18 years, there couldn’t have been a better experience for me in my cricketing journey apart from all the things I had playing for India.” He expressed.

How RCB overcame 18 years of near-misses to lift their maiden IPL trophy, beating Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad

Bengaluru was superb in the previous season of the competition as they ended the league stage at the second position of the table with nine victories in 14 encounters at a net run rate of +0.301. They were superb with the bat and ball in hand both in home and away conditions.

See Also: Watch: Virat Kohli couldn't believe it — Fan breaks onto the field and bows at his feet during RCB vs KKR IPL 2026

The former Indian captain contributed massively with the bat as he finished the campaign as the third leading run-getter with 657 runs in 15 innings at an average of 54.75 and a strike rate of 144.71, thanks to eight half-centuries at the best score of undefeated 73 runs. 

Bengaluru posted 190/9 in the final against the Kings, who were restricted to 184/7 in their allotted 20 overs.

RCB sit at the top of the IPL 2026 table with 16 points as Kohli contributes to lead the charge

In the ongoing 2026 season of the event, RCB sits at the top of the points table with eight wins in 12 games at a blistering net run rate of +1.053. Out of the last six encounters, they have won four, and if they somehow beat both Punjab and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the last two league games, they will finish among the top two.

See Also: IPL 2026 Playoffs picture after PBKS vs MI: What every team needs to qualify — Updated points table

And Kohli continues to lead the charge as he celebrated his ninth century of the event against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Raipur and has overall collected 484 runs in 12 innings at an average of 53.77 and a strike rate of 165.75 with three fifties and one century. His eyes will be on two successive trophies of the tournament.