Kohli opens up about dying in the joy of winning the title

The joyous moment of winning the first title of the IPL turned into a terrible tragedy. On June 4, 11 fans lost their lives and at least 75 others were injured in a stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium during the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) title celebration. In this incident, the Karnataka state government accused the franchise of organizing a rally without permission and creating excessive crowds.

One of the reasons for the increase in the crowd that day was the video message of the team's best star Virat Kohli. Thousands of fans rushed to the stadium following the appeal made on RCB's social media. But that joyous moment turned into tears in the tragic incident of the stampede.

After remaining silent for so long, Kohli finally opened his mouth. In an emotional message on the Bengaluru website, he wrote—
“Nothing in life can prepare us for the heartbreaking events of June 4. What was supposed to be the happiest moment in the history of our team has turned into a terrible tragedy. My prayers go out to those who have left us, their families and the injured fans. This irreparable loss is now part of our story.”

RCB captain Rajat Patidar also expressed his condolences to the fans. He said—
“Every time I step on the field for Bengaluru, that emotion comes from your love and support. We are also with you in this difficult time. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.”

Following the accident, RCB recently announced a compensation of Rs 25 lakh each to the families of the deceased fans. The franchise has also announced a six-point plan to ensure that such tragedies do not happen again in the future. They have also planned to build a memorial in Bengaluru city in memory of the deceased.

Thus, the excitement of winning the first title in history left a permanent mark on Bengaluru cricket history.