‘It was emotional watching Virat Kohli cry’: Krunal Pandya

New Delhi: The wait of 18 years is finally over and every player of Royal Challengers Bangalore was thrilled when it ended, especially Virat KohliHe has been with the team since the league’s inception in 2008. There were tears of joy, kisses on the trophy, proud lifting of the trophy, and constant celebrations as RCB lifted the historic IPL 2025 title.Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Kings XI Punjab by six runs in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to win their first IPL title after 18 years.RCB all-rounder Krunal Pandya Looking back on the championship victory, he called it one of the most exciting moments of his career and dedicated the victory to the fans and former captain Kohli.Speaking on JioStar’s ‘Krunal Pandya Experience’, the all-rounder said the much-awaited trophy means a lot to Kohli and he struggled to contain his emotions after the win.“The most deserving people are Virat Kohli and the RCB fans. Virat has been an integral part of RCB since the first season. So, winning the title and seeing him get emotional is special. Watching him cry was an emotional moment for everyone,” Krunal said.“The love people have for RCB is unbelievable. That day, I said on the microphone that no matter what happens, we have to win the trophy for the fans,” he added.Krunal said delivering on that promise made the win even more meaningful after 18 years of waiting.“I’m glad I said this and we were able to get a good result in the final. The fans deserve this trophy more than anyone and obviously Virat does too,” he said.“For me, playing for the national team comes first, but to win for RCB after 18 years and have my best season while contributing well, has to be one of my biggest moments,” Krunal said.Krunal also spoke about his evolution as a cricketer over the years.“I have gotten better over a period of time. When you go through this journey, you learn a lot. A lot of credit goes to my parents and the way they brought me up. But who I am as a person, has remained the same. I love cricket and still have passion and passion for playing. I have always been a family man. I love my family, my kids and my wife, who play an integral role,” said the RCB all-rounder.Pandya was bought by RCB for Rs 575 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction held in Jeddah and was retained by RCB for the 2026 IPL season.In IPL 2026, RCB currently ranks second in the table with 10 points.