Lucknow lights up for Kohli: RCB’s first IPL win becomes a national celebration

It wasn’t just Bengaluru that erupted in joy, the whole of India felt the emotion of Ee Sala Cup Namde finally fulfilled. And in the heart of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow danced too, firecrackers lighting up the sky, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) lifted their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL), 2025 title after 18 long years of heartbreak.

After finishing runners-up in 2009, 2011 and 2016, RCB finally broke its jinx, defeating Punjab Kings by six runs in a final at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium. On a pitch that confounded expectations, RCB’s 190 proved just enough, thanks to Krunal Pandya’s miserly 2-17 and a composed collective from the bowling attack. 

As the final ball was bowled, Virat Kohli was overcome with emotion. “I have given my youth, my prime. I gave it everything,” said Kohli after the match, his voice cracking. “I never thought this day would come.”

It was the culmination of 18 years of belief. For No. 18, it was 18th time lucky!

At 11:30 pm on June 3, a different kind of energy pulsed through Lucknow’s streets. In Gomti Nagar, motorbikes zoomed through with flags flying high. In Hazratganj, fireworks painted the sky, music blared, and strangers broke into jubilant dances. It felt less like a city celebrating someone else’s win, and more like a national moment. The tricolour waved above dancing crowds, a silent salute to Kohli’s unwavering devotion. Lucknowi Glimpse captured the mood with a video post titled “Kya aap bhi aaye the Hazratganj?”

This wasn’t just a trophy lifted in Ahmedabad. It was a burden lifted off a generation of fans, and in Lucknow, that weight gave way to fireworks, freedom and a little bit of wonder in the June night air