Anushka Sharma gives Virat Kohli a standing ovation. (IPL pictures)
New Delhi: When the stakes are highest, Virat Kohli often finds a way to deliver results. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru star once again rose to the occasion in the IPL 2026 final, and among the thousands who celebrated his latest lesson was his actress wife Anushka Sharma.As Kohli spoke of the fastest half-century of his Indian Premier League career against the Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Anushka was seen standing and applauding from the stands, acknowledging the innings that proved crucial in RCB’s quest for back-to-back titles.
The intimate moment quickly caught the attention of fans, with videos of Anushka clapping widely circulated on social media.
Anushka joins the applause after Kohli’s knock in the big match
The moment came after Kohli reached his fifty off just 25 deliveries during RCB’s chase of 156.As the star batsman raised his bat to acknowledge the crowd, RCB teammates in the dugout rose to applaud the innings. Anushka joined them, standing alongside fans and enthusiastically applauding her husband.It was an apt response to an innings that once again demonstrated Kohli’s ability to perform on cricket’s biggest stages.
The former RCB captain hit seven fours and two sixes during his stormy knock and reached the landmark with a boundary by Arshad Khan in the 12th over.He watches:
Kohli delivered when RCB needed him most
Kohli had set the tone much earlier along with Venkatesh Iyer. The duo led Bengaluru to the fastest fifty in IPL final history, reaching the milestone in just 3.3 overs and breaking Chennai Super Kings’ previous record of four overs set in 2023.However, Gujarat Titans clawed their way back into the contention after an opening stand of 62, where they removed four RCB batsmen for just 29 runs.As the pressure mounted, Kohli powered the chase while maintaining a strong scoring rate, ensuring the defending champions remained in the lead.The half-century was not only crucial in the context of the final, but also historic. The 25-ball effort became the fastest fifty of Kohli’s 19-season IPL career, surpassing his previous best of 26 balls set in 2018.