ROYAL Challengers Bengaluru claimed their maiden title in the Indian Premier League (IPL), ending an 18-year wait withasensationalperformance in the final for a six-run victory againstPunjabKings infinal at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Tuesday. Restrictedto190-9in20overs by a fine bowling performance led by Arshdeep Singh (3-40) and Kyle Jamieson (3-38), the Rajat Patidar-led side came back strongly with a mesmerisingbowlingperformance of their own to keep Punjab Kings to 184-7 in 20 overs.

 

Krunal Pandya claimed 2-17 in four overs to turn things around for RCB. For PBKS, ShashankSinghledalatecharge withaflurryofboundaries,ending with a majestic unbeaten 61 off 30 balls but that was too late and they fell short by six runs. With this, RCB ended an 18-year-old wait for the title, thefirstonecomingunderfirsttime captain Rajat Patidar.The victory made Virat Kohli the first player to claim the title whileplaying 18 years for a single team. Punjab Kings lost Prabhsimran Singh, who charged down the wicket for a wild hoick across the line off Krunal Pandya but only managed to top-edge an easy catch to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and slumpedto72-3chasingachallenging target of 191 on a slower pitch.

 

A lot now depended onskipperShreyasIyer,whohad guided them to victory against Mumbai Indians in the Eliminatorclashwithabrilliant 87 not out. But the PBKS skipper, playing his second successive IPL final albeit with two different teams, faltered and was outfor 1,edgingbehindJiteshSharma off Romanio Shepherd. The two wickets by Pandya and Shepherd in successive overs and the dismissal of the dangerousJoshInglisbyPandya a couple of overs later helped RCB take the wind out of the PBKS sails to leave them gasping at 98-4