IPL 2025 final: Wave of Virat Kohli fans wear No 18 jerseys at RCB vs PBKS match - ‘Last of the stars’

Hundreds of Virat Kohli fans, wearing his No 18 jersey, flocked outside the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday

Published on: Jun 3, 2025, 19:34:38 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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RCB vs PBKS: Hundreds of Virat Kohli fans, wearing his No 18 jersey, flocked outside the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad as the Royal Challengers Bangalore took on the Punjab Kings in the IPL final on Tuesday. Videos from the stadium showed fans cheering for the former RCB skipper, who is aiming to win his first IPL trophy in 18 years.

Hundreds of Virat Kohli fans flocked to the Narendra Modi Stadium for the IPL final on Tuesday (PTI)

As the video of Kohli fans went viral, social media users dubbed Kohli as ‘the last of the stars’ - a quote famously used by Shah Rukh Khan on Anupam Kher's talk show ‘Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai’.

“The Biggest Superstar of Indian Cricket,” one person said on X, platform formerly known as Twitter. They also posted a photo from outside the stadium.

“Virat Kohli – The Last Superstar of Indian Cricket !” another person added.

“When Virat Kohli plays, every ground in the world becomes his home ground,” a third person tweeted.

Kohli, the IPL's highest run-getter, has been a part of RCB's core group for 18 years. The team managed to reach the final in 2009, 2011 and 2016. But their maiden trophy remains elusive. On Tuesday, Virat Kohli will get his fourt shot at the prized IPL trophy.

Kohli has an average of 36 (1116 from 35 games) against PBKS, but in recent times, he has managed to average 62.5 runs (375 runs from eight games).

While Shreyas Iyer has already led two sides (Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders) to the IPL final, his current team, Punjab Kings, is yet to achieve the ultimate glory. On Tuesday, the PBKS skipper won the toss and chose to bowl.

RCB vs PBKS playing 11

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarawal, Rajat Patidar(c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma(w), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood

Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Kyle Jamieson, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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