IPL champions RCB arrive in Bengaluru to rousing welcome

The newly-crowned IPL champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru team touched base at the Garden City on Wednesday afternoon amid a roaring welcome from waiting fans, who lined up the streets to catch a glimpse of the star-studded side.

The Rajat Patidar-led team was received by state’s Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar at the airport.

En route to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s office at the Vidhana Soudha here, the fans assembled on both sides of the road cheered the triumphant squad with gusto.

RCB defeated Punjab Kings by six runs in the IPL final at Ahmedabad on Tuesday to clinch their maiden title in 18 years. It was another major achievement for the side’s talisman Virat Kohli, who has only played for this franchise since the league’s inception.

After the appointment with the CM, the RCB players will head to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium for a fan engagement programme.

However, the much-anticipated open-top bus parade from Vidhana Soudha to the stadium might not take place because of traffic congestion, as per a tweet by the Bengaluru Traffic Police.

The rainy weather in the city too might have forced the authorities to take such a call apart from the challenge they faced in containing the crowd movement last night after RCB’s victory.

However, the parade may still happen if the chief minister gives a special permission, as the open bus is parked near his office.