The IPL 2024 showdown between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium was hyped as the ‘el classico’ between KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli. Their first encounter since the infamous night in Lucknow last year had cricket enthusiasts on the edge, expecting sparks to fly and the internet to explode at the slightest hint of confrontation.

However, Friday delivered a plot twist no one saw coming as the so-called ‘rivals’ buried the hatchet with an internet-breaking hug during the RCB vs KKR match. Amidst the timeout after the 16th over, Kohli and Gambhir shared a warm embrace and a brief chat, followed by exchanged smiles. As Kohli refreshed himself with water, Gambhir, presumably to congratulate him for his half-century, greeted him with a hug. Smiles exchanged, tensions dissolved, and the anticipated feud fizzled out into a surprising display of sportsmanship.