Coaching maestro Andy Flower guides RCB to first-ever IPL title

Ahmedabad, India — Former Zimbabwe cricketer Andy Flower added perhaps the biggest trophy of his franchise coaching career Tuesday, guiding Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title with a six-run win over Punjab Kings in a thrilling final at Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday.

Flower, Zimbabwe’s top international run-scorer with 11,580 runs and 16 centuries between 1992 and 2003, has found similar success as a coach. He led England to their first major world title — the 2010 ICC T20 World Cup — and three Ashes series wins, including the historic 2010–11 series in Australia.

His coaching resume also includes a 2019 Abu Dhabi T10 title with Maratha Arabians, a 2021 Pakistan Super League (PSL) championship with Multan Sultans alongside star batter Mohammad Rizwan, and victory in the UK’s 2022 edition of The Hundred with Trent Rockets.