Bengaluru beats Punjab to win its first IPL title as Virat Kohli 'overcome with emotion'

AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — Royal Challengers Bengaluru earned their first Indian Premier League title by beating Punjab Kings by six runs on Tuesday.

Bengaluru finished runners-up in 2009, 2011 and 2016, but finally won at the Narendra Modi Stadium — thanks largely to Krunal Pandya’s sensational spell of 2-17 in four overs.

Virat Kohli shed a tear as Bengaluru clinched victory to conclude the 18th season of the world's most popular T20 tournament.

“This win is as much for the fans as it is for the team. It has been 18 long years,” said Kohli, who has been associated with Bengaluru since the inaugural edition in 2008.

“I have given my youth, my prime. I gave it everything I have — I never thought this day would come. I was overcome with emotion as soon as the last ball was bowled.”

Kohli top-scored for Bengaluru with 43 runs off 35 balls to help put up 190-9 in 20 overs. Punjab pacers Arshdeep Singh (3-40) and Kyle Jamieson (3-48) shared six wickets between them.

Punjab’s reply stuttered after a good start and despite a consolation half-century from Shashank Singh, it fell short and finished with 184-7 (20 overs).

Put into bat, Bengaluru lost Phil Salt for 16 runs. It slowed down Kohli, who only hit three fours in an uncharacteristic knock. The Indian batting star finished with 700 runs in 16 matches this season — third in the highest run-scorers’ list.

Kohli put on vital partnerships with Mayank Agarwal (24) and skipper Rajat Patidar (26) — their cameos kept the scorecard ticking along.

Azmatullah Omarzai got the vital wicket and sent Kohli back, while Jamieson picked his second by trapping Patidar lbw.

Jitesh Sharma then provided the acceleration — hitting two sixes and two fours to score 24 off 10 balls, while Liam Livingstone also hit two sixes in 25 off 15 balls.

From 131-4 in 14.5 overs, it was just enough to push Bengaluru past 190.

In reply, Punjab started well as Priyansh Arya (24) and Prabhsimran Singh (26) put on 43 off 30 balls.

Phil Salt took a smart catch hopping across the boundary to send back Arya and then Pandya struck after the powerplay.

First he sent back Prabhsimran, who was crawling despite a dropped catch earlier on.

The turning point came in the 10th over as Shreyas Iyer was caught behind for one off Romario Shepherd.

Josh Inglis scored 39 off 23 balls, including four sixes, but he holed out off Pandya in the 13th over in another body blow for the Kings’ chase.

Thereafter, it was an uphill task for Punjab as Bengaluru bowlers squeezed the run-rate.

Shashank Singh stayed put, scoring 61 not out off 30 balls, including six sixes but it only reduced the margin of victory.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli, center, reacts after their win in the Indian Premier League final cricket match against Punjab Kings at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli reacts after their win in the Indian Premier League final cricket match against Punjab Kings at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Bhuvneshwar Kumar, right, celebrates the wicket of Punjab Kings' Nehal Wadhera with Kunal Pandya during the Indian Premier League final cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Romario Shepherd, left, and teammate Virat Kohli celebrate the dismissal of Punjab Kings' captain Shreyas Iyer during the Indian Premier League cricket final match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Romario Shepherd, left, and teammate Virat Kohli celebrate the dismissal of Punjab Kings' captain Shreyas Iyer, second right, during the Indian Premier League cricket final match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Paolo Banchero scored 31 points, Desmond Bane added 25 and the Orlando Magic beat the Detroit Pistons 123-107 on Monday night.

Jalen Suggs had 12 points, 12 assists, six rebounds and three steals for the Magic, who won for the fourth time in five games.

Jalen Duren and Daniss Jenkins scored 18 points apiece for Detroit. Kevin Huerter and Javonte Green added 17 each for the Pistons, who had 21 turnovers.

KNICKS 108, HAWKS 105

ATLANTA (AP) — CJ McCollum’s half-court shot at the buzzer was ruled no good after a review and New York held off Atlanta.

Jalen Brunson made two free throws with 1.2 seconds left to give New York a three-point lead. McCollum took an inbounds pass near the free-throw line and took two dribbles before launching a shot that banked in. But replays showed the ball was still in his hands as time expired.

It was the Hawks’ first home loss since early February and put an end to Atlanta’s 13-game home win streak.

Brunson led New York with 30 points and 13 assists, and Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. MVP chants erupted in State Farm Arena as a 17-point fourth quarter from Brunson carried New York to its 51st win of the season.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the Hawks with 36 points, 20 coming in the first half to help Atlanta to a 57-53 lead at halftime.

CAVALIERS 142, GRIZZLIES 126

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Evan Mobley scored 24 points, Dennis Schroder had 22 points and 11 assists, and Cleveland beat Memphis despite the Grizzlies tying the NBA single-game record with 29 3-pointers.

Cleveland (50-29) reached 50 wins for the second straight season and 14th overall.

Memphis (25-54) shot 29 for 59 (49%) from behind the arc with all nine Grizzlies making a 3-pointer. Memphis’s franchise record for 3-point shooting matched the NBA mark of 29 shared by the Milwaukee Bucks (versus Miami on Dec. 29, 2020) and the Boston Celtics (versus the New York Knicks on Oct. 22, 2024). Adama Bal broke Memphis’ franchise record on the 28th make with 3:25 left and he added another at 1:41.

SPURS 115, 76ERS 102

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Stephon Castle had 17 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds and San Antonio held on to beat Philadelphia after Victor Wembanyama left in the first half due to a left rib contusion.

Wembanyama’s status for the final week of the regular season is unknown.

San Antonio (60-19) is is 2 1/2 games behind Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City (62-16) and assured of finishing no worse than second in the conference.

Philadelphia lost its second straight as it battles to stay out of the play-in tournament. The 76ers (43-36) are a half-game behind the Toronto Raptors (43-35) for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

Philadelphia center Joel Embiid had 34 points and 12 rebounds, and Paul George added 16 points.

NUGGETS 137, TRAIL BLAZERS 132, OT

DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 35 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists, and Denver rallied from a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Portland in overtime.

Denver (51-28) moved into third place in the Western Conference with its season-high ninth straight win. Jokic recorded his 33rd triple-double and Jamal Murray scored seven of his 20 points in overtime to move the Nuggets a half-game ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers (50-28).

Portland (40-39) had its three-game winning streak snapped and dropped into ninth in the West, a half-game behind the Los Angeles Clippers.

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero, right, makes a move to get around Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, April 6, 2026, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)