When Virat Kohli said, “We don’t have seven home games; we probably have fourteen,” after Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s win over Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2026 final in Ahmedabad on Sunday, his words reflected a reality that played out across the country.Celebrations erupted not just in Bengaluru, but across Karnataka, even though the final was played away from the team’s home ground, the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Fans of all ages poured onto the streets — from Church Street to neighbourhoods across south and north Bengaluru, and in towns and cities across the state. Firecrackers lit up the night sky, music blared from speakers, and tamate beats echoed through the streets as supporters revelled in RCB’s second successive IPL title. In some areas, large crowds even prompted police intervention and brief lathi charges.The celebrations extended far beyond Karnataka. RCB supporters across India transformed streets into party zones, with jubilant scenes reported from Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Pune and Indore. Fireworks, bike rallies, dancing and chants of “Ee Sala Cup Namde” marked a night of nationwide celebrations as fans savoured another historic triumph.“I always say we don’t have seven home games; we probably have fourteen. Because everywhere we go we have fans cheering the team and really getting behind us. GT is probably the home side, but you see 90% of the guys are RCB fans. That’s what we’ve earned over the years, and we just continue to make them proud and try to put our best foot forward. Their support is priceless and I’m really happy that they can celebrate us lifting the trophy tonight and witness that.” — Virat Kohli, after RCB’s victory over Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad.
