Gujarat Defeated by Five Wickets IN The Final
Ahmedabad : In front of a packed crowd of 132,000 spectators and distinguished guests from India and abroad at Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Gujarat Titans (GT) by five wickets with 12 balls to spare to win their second consecutive IPL title.
After failing to win a single championship during the first 18 years of the tournament, RCB have now achieved the remarkable feat of winning back-to-back titles in 2025 and 2026.
Patidar Joins Rohit-Dhoni With Consecutive Two Titles
Following Mumbai’s captain Rohit Sharma and Chennai’s captain MS Dhoni, RCB skipper Rajat Patidar became only the third captain to win consecutive IPL titles. Patidar’s RCB also set the record of winning another championship immediately after securing their maiden title.
Virat Kohli was the undisputed star of the final, remaining unbeaten on 75 off 42 balls with three sixes and nine fours. Jitesh Sharma stayed unbeaten on 11. For Gujarat, Rashid Khan claimed two wickets, while Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada and Arshad Khan picked up one wicket each.
Rashid Khan brought Gujarat back into the contest in the ninth over by dismissing captain Patidar (15) and Krunal Pandya (1). However, the resolute Kohli refused to surrender. He sealed the victory with a towering six. Krunal continued his perfect record in IPL finals, winning every final he has played. Phil Salt captured his third consecutive title, while Josh Hazlewood maintained his unbeaten record in white-ball finals.
Chasing a modest target of 156, Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer launched RCB’s innings in explosive fashion after the glittering closing ceremony. Their aggressive strokeplay delighted the crowd, which overwhelmingly supported RCB despite the final being held in Ahmedabad. Every boundary and six from the Bengaluru batters was greeted with deafening cheers.
Although wickets fell at regular intervals, Kohli stood firm like a mountain. He shared a crucial 62-run opening partnership with Venkatesh Iyer, who scored 32 off 16 balls, including two sixes and four boundaries.
Drama Over Kohli Catch: Gill Left Disappointed
In the 16th over of RCB’s chase, Kohli was on 63 when Gujarat appealed for a low catch claimed by Shubman Gill off Arshad Khan’s bowling. Kohli was initially given out but remained on the field, uncertain whether the catch had been taken cleanly.
Umpire Nitin Menon asked him to walk back, but Kohli paused and waited for the third umpire’s review. Third umpire Jayaraman Madanagopal eventually ruled that the ball had touched the ground between Gill’s fingers. Kohli clenched his fist in celebration as the decision went in his favour, while a disappointed Gill stood staring at the turf.
Gujarat’s Top Order Fails on the Big Stage
Earlier, the 2022 champions Gujarat Titans managed only 155 for eight in their 20 overs after being sent in to bat, setting RCB a target of 156.
Gujarat’s top order had dominated the tournament throughout the season, but none of its stars could make an impact in the final against Bengaluru’s disciplined bowling attack. Sai Sudharsan, who had scored more than 700 runs during the season, was dismissed for 12 by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, caught behind by Jitesh Sharma. Captain Shubman Gill scored 10 before offering a simple catch to rival captain Rajat Patidar off Hazlewood’s bowling. Jos Buttler made 19 before being trapped by Krunal Pandya and stumped by Jitesh Sharma.
The lone bright spot for Gujarat was Washington Sundar, who remained unbeaten on 50 from 37 balls with five boundaries. Nishant Sindhu, who struggled throughout the tournament, scored 20 at a strike rate of just 111.11.
Among RCB’s bowlers, Kashmir pacer Rasikh Salam was the standout performer with three wickets for 27 runs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Hazlewood claimed two wickets each, while Krunal Pandya took one. Jacob Duffy went wicketless despite conceding 38 runs.
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