Virat Kohli survived a major scare during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s successful chase in the IPL 2026 final, and the dramatic moment sparked an intriguing exchange between him and Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill.The incident unfolded at 15.6 overs with RCB well placed in their chase. Virat Kohli mistimed an attempted drive off Arshad Khan, and Shubman Gill appeared to pull off a spectacular diving catch. However, Kohli immediately questioned whether the ball had carried cleanly, prompting a review by the third umpire.While the Gujarat Titans players celebrated, Kohli immediately appeared unconvinced. The veteran batter walked towards Gill and questioned whether the catch had been taken cleanly, suggesting that the ball may have brushed the grass during the attempt.With uncertainty surrounding the catch, the decision was referred upstairs. Replays showed the ball extremely close to the turf, with Gill’s fingers not fully underneath it as he completed the catch. After reviewing multiple angles, third umpire Jayaraman Madanagopal ruled that the ball had made contact with the ground and overturned the dismissal.The decision triggered contrasting reactions. Kohli punched the air in celebration and was seen exchanging a few words with Gill, who appeared stunned that the catch had not been upheld. The crowd erupted as the RCB superstar received a crucial lifeline.Interestingly, the moment mirrored a controversial incident from the first innings when Washington Sundar survived after Jordan Cox’s catch at fine leg was also deemed not clean enough by the third umpire.The former RCB captain went on to anchor the chase with a magnificent unbeaten 75 off just 42 balls, striking nine fours and three sixes. Along the way, he registered the fastest fifty of his IPL career, reaching the milestone in only 25 deliveries.Kohli’s knock proved decisive as Royal Challengers Bengaluru chased down the target with 12 balls to spare, sealing a five-wicket victory and securing their second consecutive IPL title.Earlier in the evening, RCB’s bowlers had laid the foundation for the triumph. Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar removed Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan inside the powerplay, while Rasikh Salam Dar starred with figures of 3 for 27 to help restrict Gujarat Titans to 155 for 8 despite Washington Sundar’s fighting half-century.In the end, Kohli’s controversial reprieve became one of the defining moments of the final, as the batting icon turned a close call into a match-winning innings and another IPL trophy for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
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