Irfan Pathan believes that the RCB had a great chance to win the IPL in 2016.
Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan lauded the loyal fans of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for standing by the team through thick and thin, even though they haven't won an IPL trophy since 2008.
The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) reached the finals of the IPL in 2009, 2011, and 2016, but they couldn’t touch the trophy, and their hunt for the title is still on.
Irfan Pathan told Star Sports: “I have never seen a franchise-fan relationship like RCB and their fans. They have the most loyal fanbase in the entire world. They haven't won a single trophy. They came close a couple of times to winning that trophy.”
Meanwhile, Pathan believes that the RCB had a great chance to win the IPL in 2016, especially because of Virat Kohli's exceptional performance with the bat. Notably, Kohli had set a record for the most runs in a single edition of the IPL with 973 runs in 16 matches as the RCB captain.
Despite Kohli's outstanding efforts, RCB lost the IPL 2016 final by 8 runs to the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.
Well, Pathan reckons that if RCB manages to win the upcoming IPL 2024, it will be a historic moment in the tournament’s history.
Pathan signed off by saying, “2016 was a very special season for him and RCB. I thought that was the year to win. If Virat Kohli and RCB win the title, that will be the biggest moment of IPL history, not just RCB history.”
Before the 2022 edition of the IPL, Kohli stepped down as their skipper. Thereafter, Faf du Plessis, who made a move from the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), was named as their skipper. Last year, RCB finished sixth and failed to qualify for the playoffs.
(With Star Sports Inputs)