By Trisha Ghosal
18 years is a lifetime in sport. But for an RCB fan, it has been even more, an emotional odyssey. Of hope and heartbreak. Of dreams deferred. Of loving unconditionally, without guarantees.
And now, finally, of joy.
Yesterday, when RCB lifted the IPL trophy at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, something inside me changed. It wasn’t just a team lifting the silverware, it was an entire fanbase breathing again. Crying again. Smiling, finally, without restraint.
Virat Kohli said, “I have given this team my youth, my prime, and my experience.” I couldn’t help but think of my own journey. I too, like most RCB fans, gave this team our all. From school benches to media deadlines, RCB was never just a franchise. It was a pulse.
As the match unfolded, I was glued to my screen in Kolkata, caught between journalistic detachment and the raw vulnerability of fandom. When Prabhsimran and Priyansh got off to a flier, the scars of past finals came rushing back. When wickets began to fall, that familiar fear of heartbreak crept in. But this team, this resilient, fearless, united RCB side, turned pain into power.
And when the final ball was bowled, and the boys in red stormed out, and Virat Kohli lay on the ground crying like a kid who had just won his first game, my body too moved on its own. I was dancing. I was crying. I couldn’t control my tears during the RevSportz Bangla post-match show. My voice cracked. My hands trembled. The dam of 18 years had finally broken.
It was only after the trophy lift that I realised I hadn’t eaten anything since lunch. Anxiety had replaced appetite all day. And then, as Virat rightly said, “I will sleep like a baby.” Last night, I did too: the kind of sleep only peace and fulfilled dreams can bring.
Of course, in sports media, there is no pause. Win or lose, you get back to work. I did too, writing reviews, getting reactions edited, pushing out posts. But something in me felt lighter. The job continued, but the wait was over.
This isn’t just a trophy. This is closure. This is healing.
This is Ee Sala Cup Namdu. Finally.
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