RCB Defeat Gujarat Titans by Five Wickets in IPL 2026 Final

Virat Kohli delivered a match-winning masterclass as Royal Challengers Bengaluru successfully defended their Indian Premier League crown with a thrilling five-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

Chasing a target of 156, Bengaluru reached 161-5 with two overs remaining, thanks to Kohli’s unbeaten 75 runs from just 42 balls. The former India captain smashed nine boundaries and three sixes in a composed yet aggressive innings that sealed RCB’s second consecutive IPL title.

The packed Narendra Modi Stadium, filled with over 90,000 spectators, erupted as Kohli finished the chase in style with a towering six. Bengaluru players stormed onto the field in celebration while thousands of fans wearing Kohli’s iconic No. 18 jersey cheered wildly.

After the victory, Kohli described the moment as a dream come true.

“I imagined this moment many times — hitting the winning runs in a final. I stayed calm during the chase because this team gives immense confidence,” Kohli said after being named Player of the Match.

RCB captain Rajat Patidar joined an elite group of captains to win back-to-back IPL trophies, following legends like MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.

Bengaluru Bowlers Set the Foundation

Earlier in the match, Bengaluru’s disciplined bowling attack restricted Gujarat Titans to 155-8 in 20 overs after RCB elected to field first.

Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood provided the breakthrough by dismissing Gujarat captain Shubman Gill for 10 runs. Veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar then removed Sai Sudharsan cheaply to put Gujarat under early pressure.

RCB pacer Rasikh Salam emerged as the standout performer with figures of 3 for 27, while Hazlewood and Kumar picked up two wickets each.

Despite a fighting unbeaten half-century from Washington Sundar, Gujarat never managed to build momentum against Bengaluru’s relentless bowling attack.

Former Australian opener and Gujarat batting coach Matthew Hayden admitted his side failed to capitalize during the powerplay overs.

“RCB’s bowling performance was exceptional. We simply couldn’t get going early in the innings,” Hayden said.

Kohli Leads the Chase in Style

In reply, Kohli and opener Venkatesh Iyer gave Bengaluru a blazing start with a 62-run opening partnership.

Although Gujarat bowlers Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, and Rashid Khan briefly pulled the game back with crucial wickets, Kohli remained in complete control throughout the chase.

An important partnership with Tim David steadied the innings before Kohli guided the team home alongside Jitesh Sharma.

Sooryavanshi Wins Orange Cap Race

Meanwhile, teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi finished as the IPL 2026 season’s leading run-scorer with 776 runs, edging past Gill and Sudharsan in the Orange Cap standings.

Kohli concluded another remarkable season with 675 runs, including one century, finishing fourth in the overall batting charts.

For Gujarat Titans, the defeat marked their second runners-up finish in three IPL finals appearances, while their only championship triumph remains their debut title win in 2022.

With another dominant campaign completed, Royal Challengers Bengaluru have firmly established themselves as the new powerhouse of the IPL era.