AHMEDABAD, INDIA: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) beat Gujarat Titans (GT) by five wickets in the final of the 2026 Indian Premier League at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, May 31. They successfully defended the title they had first won in 2025, when they beat Punjab Kings in the final.
On Sunday, chasing a modest target of 156, RCB faced no hurdles and were helped greatly by their former captain Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 75, which came off just 42 deliveries. Venkatesh Iyer, opening with Kohli, set the tone for the chase with a 16-ball 32, in which he struck four boundaries and two sixes.
Although Devdutt Padikkal (1), Rajat Patidar (15) and Krunal Pandya (1) faltered for the visitijng side, Tim David (24) and Jitesh Sharma (11 not out) provided ample support to Kohli. Earlier, Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2-29) and Rasikh Salam Dar (3-27) ensured that the GT batters were not able to make their mark.
RCB’s bowlers set the groundwork
Washington Sundar remained unbeaten on 50 off 37 balls, playing a lone hand in what was otherwise a drab performance from the hosts. Josh Hazlewood (2-37) also chipped in for the Bengaluru-based franchise, making sure that the visitors always stayed on top of the proceedings.
RCB’s simple game plan of hitting the hard length regularly paid rich dividends for them, as six of the eight GT batters to fall were unable to counter this tactic. With this victory, they have etched their name in the annals of history by winning the IPL two times in a row. They are only the third team to do so, with Chennai Super Kings (2011, 2012) and Mumbai Indians (2019, 2020) having preceded them.
If you liked this article, consider subscribing to our website to stay in touch with the latest updates in sports. You can also follow the India Sports Tribune on X and Instagram. We would love to talk to you!
Leave a Reply