Virat Kohli, renowned for his passionate on-field celebrations and animated gestures, once again grabbed the spotlight during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Qualifier 1 clash against Gujarat Titans. The cricketer pulled off Cristiano Ronaldo's iconic 'SIUUU' celebration, a tribute to the football legend he openly admires.
Kohli's Ronaldo Tribute on the Cricket Field
A self-confessed admirer of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kohli has frequently recreated the Portuguese star's trademark celebration on the cricket field. During Gujarat Titans' chase of a massive 254-run target set by RCB, GT lost five wickets inside the powerplay. Kohli was seen celebrating wildly with Ronaldo's famous move as RCB tightened their grip on the match.
This was not the first time Kohli paid homage to Ronaldo. During the 2023 ODI World Cup, Kohli teamed up with Mohammed Siraj, another huge Ronaldo fan, to recreate the 'SIUUU' celebration after Siraj dismissed Wesley Barresi in India's match against the Netherlands. Earlier in the Champions Trophy 2025, Kohli once again channeled his inner Ronaldo by performing both the 'SIUUU' and 'Calma' celebrations during India's clash against New Zealand.
RCB's Dominant Victory
Coming to the match, RCB completely outclassed Gujarat Titans by 92 runs to storm into their second consecutive IPL final. The defending champions will now play the title clash on May 31 against the winner of Qualifier 2. Kohli also played a crucial role with the bat, giving RCB early momentum after the dismissal of Venkatesh Iyer. The former RCB skipper scored a quickfire 43 off 25 deliveries to set the tone for Bengaluru's massive total.
The hero of the match was RCB skipper Rajat Patidar, who unleashed carnage in Dharamsala, scoring an unbeaten 93 off 33 balls and taking the team's total to 254. Gujarat Titans' chase was hindered by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who clean bowled Shubman Gill in his second over. However, Sai Sudharsan had a bizarre hit-wicket runout. Gujarat Titans choked in the chase and will get another chance in Qualifier 2 against the Eliminator's winner.
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