Royal Challengers Bengaluru face Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala on Tuesday, with an 80 per cent probability of rain forecast for the day threatening to disrupt the contest.
What happens if the match is washed out
If no result is possible due to rain, IPL 2026 playoff rules give RCB a decisive advantage. Having finished at the top of the league-stage points table, RCB qualify directly for the IPL 2026 final under tournament regulations that award progression to the higher-ranked side when a playoff match cannot produce a result.
Qualifier 1 has no reserve day, so the match will not be replayed. In a washout scenario, defending champions RCB advance to the final without a ball being bowled. Gujarat Titans would not be eliminated but would lose their direct path to the title clash, dropping into Qualifier 2 instead, where they would face the winner of the Eliminator. The winner of Qualifier 2 then joins RCB in the final.
Dharamshala weather update
AccuWeather forecasts 14 to 25 per cent cloud cover in Dharamshala alongside the 80 per cent rain probability. There is some relief for fans, however the weather is expected to ease closer to match time, with AccuWeather predicting no rainfall after 7 PM, when the game is scheduled to begin.