- Get link
- X
- Other Apps
Some teams wait a lifetime for a single title. Royal Challengers Bengaluru waited 18 years for their first. But now? They've decided championships are a habit.
On a balmy Sunday evening at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, RCB did something only two teams had done before them—successfully defend an IPL title. And they did it in style, knocking off Gujarat Titans by five wickets with two full overs to spare.
The architect? A 37-year-old named Virat Kohli, who chose the biggest stage of all to play one of his finest T20 innings.
The Toss and the Tactical Gamble
Rajat Patidar won the toss and did something that made a few eyebrows rise. In a high-pressure final, surrounded by 100,000 screaming fans, he chose to bowl first.
It looked risky. It turned out to be a masterstroke.
His bowlers understood the assignment immediately. The pitch had a slight stickiness to it—a hint of slowness that would make strokeplay difficult. The plan was simple: bowl hard lengths, keep the batters guessing, and let the surface do the rest.
| Detail | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Winner | Rajat Patidar (RCB) |
| Decision | Bowl first |
| Result | Absolute masterstroke |
Conventional wisdom says bat first in a big final. Patidar threw that wisdom out the window. His bowlers thanked him later.
Gujarat's Innings – A Story of Survival
Powerplay: The Early Knockout
Gujarat's dangerous openers were sent packing early.
| Over | Event | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 1.3 | Hazlewood gets Gill | Big wicket |
| 3.2 | Bhuvneshwar traps Sudharsan | Both openers gone |
| 6.0 | Powerplay score | 45/2 |
Key Stat: Gujarat hit zero sixes in the first 12 overs.
Middle Overs: The Choke
Krunal and Rasikh bowled 35 consecutive balls without a single boundary.
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Krunal Pandya | 4 | 23 | 1 |
| Rasikh Salam | 4 | 27 | 3 |
The big moment: Krunal saw Jos Buttler coming, fired a wide yorker, and Jitesh completed a stunning stumping.
Death Overs: Washington's Lonely Fight
Washington Sundar's 50 off 37 balls was the only reason Gujarat crossed 150.
Gujarat Titans Full Scorecard
| Batter | Runs | Balls |
|---|---|---|
| S Gill | 12 | 11 |
| B Sai Sudharsan | 14 | 12 |
| N Sindhu | 20 | 18 |
| J Buttler | 15 | 15 |
| A Khan | 18 | 12 |
| W Sundar | 50* | 37 |
| R Tewatia | 4 | 6 |
| J Holder | 8 | 7 |
| R Khan | 1 | 3 |
| Extras | 13 | |
| Total | 155/8 | (20 ov) |
RCB Bowling Attack
| Bowler | Overs | Wkts | Runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| J Hazlewood | 4 | 2 | 37 |
| B Kumar | 4 | 2 | 29 |
| R Salam | 4 | 3 | 27 |
| K Pandya | 4 | 1 | 23 |
| J Duffy | 4 | 0 | 34 |
The Chase – A Virat Kohli Love Story
Powerplay: Absolute Carnage
| Over | Bowler | Runs | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Rabada | 12 | Two fours |
| 2nd | Siraj | 8 | Glanced four |
| 3rd | Rabada | 18 | Venkatesh onslaught |
| 4th | Rabada | 19 | Kohli six + three fours |
| 5th | Siraj | 5 | Quiet |
| 6th | Holder | 8 | End of PP |
Powerplay score: 70/2 in 6 overs. Game almost over.
Venkatesh Iyer's Brave Cameo
| Detail | Number |
|---|---|
| Balls | 16 |
| Runs | 32 |
| Strike rate | 200.00 |
| Injury | Knee blow in 1st over |
| Reaction | Decided to hit everything |
Kohli vs Rabada: Pure Cinema
| Ball | Delivery | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 4.1 | 152 kph, full | FOUR |
| 4.2 | 155 kph, full | SIX |
| 4.3 | 148 kph, short | FOUR |
| 4.4 | 150 kph, length | FOUR |
Over summary: 19 runs. Rabada looked at the sky. Kohli stared at the boundary.
.jfif)
Rashid Khan Gives Gujarat a Pulse
| Ball | Wicket | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 7.4 | Patidar caught | 91/3 |
| 7.5 | Krunal LBW | 91/4 |
Two wickets in four balls. The stadium went quiet.
The Record-Breaking Fifty
| Milestone | Detail |
|---|---|
| Balls taken | 25 |
| Fastest fifty of Kohli's IPL career | ✅ |
| Age | 37 years |
A 37-year-old, in his 18th IPL season, in a final, just played the fastest half-century of his life.
The Catch That Wasn't
| Moment | What Happened |
|---|---|
| 16th over | Kohli lofts towards mid-off |
| Gill claims catch | Umpire unsure |
| Replay shows | Ball touched the ground |
| Decision | NOT OUT |
The Winning Moment
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Ball | 17.6 of innings |
| Bowler | Arshad Khan |
| Batter | Virat Kohli |
| Result | SIX over long-on |
The dugout emptied. Players ran onto the field. Virat Kohli raised his bat.
RCB Full Scorecard
| Batter | Runs | Balls |
|---|---|---|
| V Kohli | 75* | 42 |
| V Iyer | 32 | 16 |
| D Padikkal | 8 | 7 |
| R Patidar (c) | 11 | 8 |
| K Pandya | 0 | 2 |
| T David | 24 | 17 |
| Extras | 11 | |
| Total | 161/5 | (18 ov) |
Records That Fell on a Historic Night
| Record | Player | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Fastest IPL fifty | V Kohli | 25 balls |
| Highest playoff score | V Kohli | 75* (42) |
| Most IPL titles (active) | K Pandya | 5 |
| Back-to-back winning captains | R Patidar | 3rd after Dhoni & Rohit |
| Best debut IPL season | R Salam | 19 wickets |
Match Flow – How Momentum Swung
| Phase | GT | RCB |
|---|---|---|
| Powerplay | 45/2 | 70/2 |
| Middle overs | 60/3 | 69/3 |
| Death overs | 50/3 | 22/0 |
RCB won every phase that mattered.
Team Comparison
| Category | GT | RCB |
|---|---|---|
| Total runs | 155/8 | 161/5 |
| Fours | 14 | 18 |
| Sixes | 2 | 7 |
| Dot balls | 38 | 41 |
Quick Summary
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | IPL 2026 Final |
| Venue | Narendra Modi Stadium |
| Toss | RCB chose to bowl |
| GT score | 155/8 (20 ov) |
| RCB score | 161/5 (18 ov) |
| Result | RCB won by 5 wkts |
| POTM | V Kohli (75* off 42) |
The Final Word
RCB did not just defend their title. They dominated from ball one.
For 18 years, the cricket world asked: "Will RCB ever win an IPL title?"
Now, after two in two years, the question has changed.
"Can anyone stop them?"