Ananya Birla became an instant hit among cricket fans after she was captured reacting like an absolute "fangirl" during Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma’s emotional celebration. The heartwarming moment unfolded right after Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) secured a massive 92-run victory against the Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 match at Dharamshala, sending the franchise straight into their second consecutive tournament final.
As soon as the final Gujarat Titans wicket fell to secure the win, an ecstatic Virat Kohli ran past the boundary rope toward the stadium's VIP box. Waiting there was Anushka Sharma, whom Kohli immediately wrapped in a tight, emotional hug. The couple shared a deep moment of relief and joy to celebrate making the finals again.
Standing just inches away was singer and entrepreneur Ananya Birla—whose family consortium recently acquired a stake in RCB. As Virat and Anushka embraced, Ananya’s face lit up with a massive, genuine smile. Fans on Instagram and X quickly noticed her cheering them on with pure excitement rather than treating it as a standard corporate appearance. Following the couple's hug, Kohli turned to share an energetic handshake and a warm chat with Ananya.
Amusingly, the Aditya Birla Group sponsors the opposing Gujarat Titans team, making the friendly interaction even more talked-about among fans. This is not the first time Ananya and Anushka have stolen the spotlight this IPL season. Throughout the tournament, the two have frequently been spotted sitting together in the stands. From holding hands during tense match moments to high-fiving over Kohli's half-centuries, social media has heavily praised the duo's blossoming, positive camaraderie.
RCB make it to the IPL Finals, second time in two years
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) didn’t just qualify for the IPL 2026 Grand Final; they completely rewrote the history books by annihilating the Gujarat Titans by 92 runs in a record-breaking Qualifier 1 match. This historic victory caps off an extraordinary transformation for the franchise, sending them to their second consecutive tournament final and giving them a golden opportunity to defend their hard-earned 2025 championship crown.
Captain Rajat Patidar played a legendary knock, hitting 9 monstrous sixes to finish with an unbeaten 93. He now officially holds the highest batting average (112.66) and strike rate (193.14) in the history of IPL knockouts.
RCB struck 38 total boundaries during their innings, overtaking Chennai Super Kings' 2012 record for the most boundaries ever hit in a single playoff game. With his 43-run contribution, Virat Kohli became the first player ever to anchor his franchise to 600+ runs in four consecutive IPL seasons, showcasing unprecedented consistency. Bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar cleanly bowled GT captain Shubman Gill, extending his historic head-to-head dominance over Gill to 6 wickets across just 79 balls in tournament history.
RCB has officially booked their tickets to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad for the Grand Final on Sunday, May 31. After breaking their 17-year title curse by defeating the Punjab Kings at this very stadium on June 3, 2025, the squad is returning to the exact same ground for their highly anticipated championship sequel.
