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Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) bulldozed Gujarat Titans (GT) by 92 runs in the Qualifier 1 at the Dharamsala to roll into Indian Premier League (IPL) final. RCB first rode on Rajat Patidar's lightning 33-ball 93 to post a historic total of 254/5. In reply, RCB bowlers broke GT's back to record a dominant win to staple their final ticket, where they will face the winners of Qualifier 2. This was defending champions' fifth entry in IPL final.
RCB cruise into IPL 2026 final with win against GT
Despite the heavy defeat, the Titans' tournament isn't over yet; having finished in the top two, they will get a second shot at redemption on Friday in Qualifier 2, where they will face the winner of the Eliminator match between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Rajasthan Royals.
Duffy, Bhuvneshwar break GT's back
Talking about GT's chase, they fell apart like a pack of cards almost immediately as Jacob Duffy (3/39) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/28) ripped through their highly reliable top order. Opener Sai Sudharsan began positively with consecutive boundaries off Duffy, but his innings ended in bizarrely unlucky fashion when his bat slipped from his hands as he attempted a quick run, leaving the Titans at 17 for one. The early setback turned into a crisis when Bhuvneshwar knocked over Shubman Gill’s stumps for just two runs from seven balls, leaving the score at a precarious 27 for two.
Jos Buttler attempted to stage a furious counter-attack, smashing Josh Hazlewood for a four and two sixes to briefly drag GT past the 50-run milestone in the fifth over. However, Hazlewood got the last laugh on the very next delivery, cleaning up the dangerous Englishman for a frantic 11-ball 29. The wheels completely came off the chase from there as Rasikh Salam Dar struck twice in the final over of the powerplay, dismissing both Nishant Sindhu for 5 and Jason Holder for a duck, leaving Gujarat reeling at 51 for five at the six-over mark.
The process of elimination continued unabated through the middle overs. Duffy returned to pick up his second wicket by removing Washington Sundar for eight, and quickly followed it up by ousting Rashid Khan for the same score. When Krunal Pandya dismissed Kagiso Rabada for nine, the Titans had plummeted to a dismal 88 for eight in the 12th over, with all realistic hopes of a victory entirely extinguished.
The sole silver lining for the Titans was a resilient, fighting knock from Rahul Tewatia. Teaming up with Mohammed Siraj, Tewatia pushed the score past the 100-run mark and used the opportunity for some high-quality batting practice, bringing up a defiant half-century off 33 balls. He was eventually dismissed by Bhuvneshwar for a brilliant 43-ball 68—which included eight fours and four sixes—thanks to a sharp catch from Patidar. Siraj was the last man to fall as GT were skittled out for 162 in 19.3 overs, with Duffy anchoring the bowling effort alongside twin strikes from Bhuvneshwar, Rasikh, and Krunal.
Rajat Patidar wreaks havoc in RCB's win
Earlier, RCB posted a daunting 254 for five against GT in Qualifier 1, courtesy of a brutal batting assault from skipper Rajat Patidar. Patidar completely turned the game on its head with a sensational 33-ball 93, smashing nine sixes and five fours. Capitalizing on two dropped catches, the captain spearheaded a late-innings blitz that saw RCB plunder 86 runs in the final five overs—and an astonishing 114 runs off the last six—to seize complete control of the high-stakes contest.
The innings had earlier roared to life at a furious pace, with opener Venkatesh Iyer taking on Mohammed Siraj with some audacious strokeplay, including three early boundaries. However, his lively cameo was cut short when Kagiso Rabada dismissed him for 19, right after being launched for a massive six. During his opening spell, Rabada also engaged in a thrilling duel with Virat Kohli, testing the RCB talisman with sharp bounce and express pace. Kohli weathered the storm expertly to score a brisk 43, anchoring a commanding 76 for one powerplay alongside Devdutt Padikkal, who contributed a solid 30.
GT managed to claw their way back into the game during the middle overs through some disciplined bowling. Spin maestro Rashid Khan choked the run flow with a tight spell, while West Indian all-rounder Jason Holder turned the tide by striking twice in the space of three deliveries to remove both Kohli and Padikkal. With Kulwant Khejroliya also keeping things tidy initially, the Titans seemed to have successfully put the brakes on RCB's explosive batting lineup.
However, the complexion of the match changed dramatically in the 14th over when Patidar, who was then tentative on scores of 18 and 20, was dropped twice off the bowling of Prasidh Krishna. Following those costly reprieves, Gujarat's fielding completely unraveled. Khejroliya leaked a massive 28 runs in a chaotic, error-prone over that was marred by costly misfields, a wide, and two costly no-balls.
Patidar capitalized on his extra lives mercilessly, tearing into both Khejroliya and Rashid Khan with relentless power hitting. He found an able ally in Krunal Pandya, and together the duo put on a rapid 95-run partnership. Although Rabada eventually returned to break the stand by dismissing Krunal for a well-made 43, the damage had already been done. Patidar brought up his half-century with a towering six off Rabada and continued his carnage right until the end, ensuring the reigning champions finished with one of the highest totals in IPL playoff history, which was too much for GT to chase.
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