RCB vs GT IPL 2026 Final: Royal Challengers Bengaluru created history in IPL becoming back-to-back champions as they defeated Gujarat Titans by five wickets in IPL 2026 final at Ahmedabad On May 31, 2026. Chasing a modest target of 156, RCB relied on a masterful unbeaten knock of 75 from Virat Kohli to complete the chase in just 17.6 overs and complete their second successive title.
Earlier, Gujarat Titans were put in to bat first and RCB bowlers put up a disciplined performance. The Titans had a wobbly start, losing both openers inside the powerplay as the Bengaluru seamers extracted the bounce on offer. Rasikh Salam Dar struck at a crucial moment to leave GT at 55/3 after eight overs, though Nishant Sindhu hit back briefly with 20 runs.
Gujarat’s most experienced batter Jos Buttler struggled to break free and could manage only 19 from 23 deliveries before Krunal Pandya produced a game-changing moment. The left-arm spinner had the nous to see Buttler come down the track and bowl a wide yorker, which Jitesh Sharma was quick to stump. Krunal’s 1/23 ensured Gujarat remained under pressure throughout the middle overs.
Washington Sundar struggled to keep the innings alive. He was given an early reprieve but then anchored the lower order and formed useful partnerships with Arshad Khan and Rahul Tewatia. Sundar took charge towards the end, bringing up a fighting fifty off 37 balls while Arshad added late momentum with two sixes. Regular wickets, however, stopped Gujarat from ever gaining any real momentum. Rasikh Salam Dar starred with the ball, finishing with 3/27, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood chipped in with two wickets apiece as GT finished on 155/8.
The chase had started with a bang. Venkatesh Iyer took on Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj fearlessly despite an issue with his knee. Kohli’s early acceleration combined with his 32 off 16 balls helped RCB get to 55 without loss in just four overs, the fastest team fifty in an IPL final.
But Kohli remained unfazed as Gujarat fought back through Rabada and Rashid Khan who got rid of Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya in quick succession. The veteran batter mixed elegance and controlled aggression and got to his fastest IPL fifty in only 25 balls. Tim David’s quickfire 24 further eased the chase before Arshad Khan got him out after a successful review.
Kohli continued to call the shots and RCB were moving closer towards a victory with discomfort in his hamstring. The scores were level in the 18th over when he whipped Arshad Khan through midwicket for four before sealing the championship with a towering six. The celebrations confirmed RCB’s 161/5 and yet another memorable IPL win as the ball sailed into the stands.
Debayan Bhattacharyya is a seasoned sports journalist and digital media professional, currently serving as the Chief Sub Editor at ITV Digital (NewsX). A true Football-Fanatic Bong, his professional journey began at Zee Media, where he kicked off his career as a Sub-Editor for the sports team at India.com and CricketCountry. His ability to blend insightful analysis with rapid-fire news delivery soon led him to Times Network, where he served as a Senior Copy Editor for Times Now. Before his current role at NewsX, Debayan spent a significant tenure at OneIndia’s MyKhel as a Senior Sub Editor.
The post RCB vs GT IPL 2026 Final: Royal Challengers Bengaluru Beat Gujarat Titans By 5 Wickets To Clinch Back-To-Back Titles appeared first on NewsX.
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