RCB will hold a victory parade in Bengaluru after winning their first IPL title. Virat Kohli invites fans, AB de Villiers, and Chris Gayle to celebrate this emotional milestone.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s long, emotional wait finally ended on Tuesday night as they lifted their maiden IPL trophy by beating Punjab Kings in a thrilling final in Ahmedabad. The celebrations, however, are far from over, as the franchise has now announced a grand victory parade in the streets of Bengaluru to honour the team and its loyal fanbase. 

The parade will take place on Wednesday, starting from the iconic Vidhana Soudha at 3:30 PM IST and finishing at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, the fortress where the team’s journey has unfolded for over 17 seasons. 

RCB shared the announcement on social media, dedicating the occasion to their devoted supporters, famously known as the 12th Man Army.

“This one’s for you, 12th Man Army.
For every cheer, every tear, every year.
𝐋𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐑𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬.🏆”

The title win marked a fairytale moment for the RCB franchise, which had previously reached the finals in 2009, 2011 and 2016 but fell short each time. This time, it was Rajat Patidar who led the team to the title finally.

“The City Is Waiting” – Kohli Invites Fans, Gayle and AB to Celebrate

Virat Kohli, who has been the heartbeat of RCB since 2008, expressed his overwhelming joy and pride after finally tasting IPL glory. He looked forward to returning to Bengaluru and celebrating with fans who had stood by the team through every up and down.

“It’s going to be something special.”

The former captain even extended invitations to RCB legends Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers to join in the city-wide celebrations. For Kohli, the emotions of the fans were just as important as the title itself.

“The city is waiting. My god. I’m thinking about them. Imagine what the fans must be feeling now, poor ones. Someone sent me a video – the entire city is filled with fireworks. The whole city. It’s very special. I can’t express my feelings. I have to experience it.”

He added that it was this unwavering fan base that made him stick with RCB all these years despite the heartbreaks.

“I said it straight away – this is as much for the fans as it is for us. These guys have stuck with RCB through horrible seasons and great ones. They’ve turned up every single time at the Chinnaswamy. I’ve never seen loyalty like that. That’s what made me never waver from RCB. That’s why this is so special.”

As Bengaluru gears up to welcome its champions home, the parade promises to be a celebration of more than just a trophy.