The Royal Challengers Bangalore are preparing to celebrate their long-awaited IPL victory in style on Wednesday afternoon. Plans are in place to honour the team with a grand welcome home.
As announced by the franchise, an open-top bus parade will cover a 2km route from Vidhana Soudha to M Chinnaswamy Stadium in the evening. Bengaluru’s traffic police have been busy making sure the event doesn’t cause too much disruption. Hundreds of eager fans began gathering at Kempegowda International Airport early in the day, but the team will now land at the old HAL Airport due to logistical concerns. They will then make a quick stop at the chief minister’s office for a formal acknowledgment before reaching the stadium shortly after 5pm.
The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) is coordinating with the local police for the event. A significant turnout is expected, and the KSCA plans to open several stands for the celebratory lap inside the stadium, anticipating around 10,000 fans, if not more.
City officials have been briefing traffic management teams about handling weekday congestion. Both the franchise and government bodies are urging fans to take advantage of public transportation and the metro service to ease traffic woes. The public is advised to avoid the central business district from 3pm to 8pm to accommodate the team’s engagements during their victory celebrations. Nonetheless, by noon, crowds had already started to gather at the stadium perimeter, hoping to catch a glimpse of their heroes.
All eyes will be on Virat Kohli, who has been a stalwart for the team. Post-victory, he expressed heartfelt appreciation for Bengaluru and the team’s unwavering backing. Kohli says, “I think I’m going to feel the real side of it when we get to Bengaluru, and celebrate it with the city and fans who’ve stood by us through thick and thin.” His words reflect his deep connection to the city and the team. Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers are also anticipated to partake in the celebrations, having indulged in the initial festivities in Ahmedabad.
Kohli added in his conversation with RCB Bold Diaries, “I’m just relieved. This is far more special than winning it with anyone else, because my heart is with Bangalore, my soul is with Bangalore. As I said, this is the team I’m going to play for till the last day I play the IPL. So, this one is absolutely right up there.”
Shashank Kishore is a senior correspondent at ESPNcricinfo.
