Bengaluru, May 17 -- Cricket fans thronged merchandise stalls outside Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Saturday, snapping up memorabilia and jerseys bearing Virat Kohli's iconic number 18 ahead of the IPL 2025 clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders.
This is Kohli's first match appearance since announcing his retirement from Test cricket earlier this month, and the occasion has added an emotional charge to what is otherwise a high-stakes league fixture.
Supporters sporting the India and RCB stalwart's name on their backs were seen queueing at official merchandise counters hours before the evening match. Many fans described the jersey purchases as a tribute to Kohli's illustrious Test career, which spanned over a deca...