Gujarat Titans only briefly looked like they could tilt the match in their favour, and it came after a sharp mid-innings wobble. Jason Holder’s two-wicket spell in the ninth over jolted Royal Challengers Bengaluru and briefly checked the scoring, but the Titans’ momentum was not sustained. From there, Rajat Patidar seized control, finishing unbeaten on a rapid 93 off 33 balls as RCB stormed to 254 for five in 20 overs, before Gujarat were bowled out for 162 in 19.3 overs in the chase.
Key takeaways
- Holder’s two wickets in the ninth over created the brief breakthrough RCB needed, as the run flow slowed noticeably.
- Patidar capitalised on the opportunities he was given, ultimately staying unbeaten on 93 off 33 balls to help RCB reach 254/5.
- Patidar’s 90-plus score in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2026 is the fastest such innings in league history, with a strike rate of 281.81.
- Virat Kohli’s visible reaction to Patidar’s massive cover drive off Kagiso Rabada became a defining moment of the innings.
- RCB later restricted Gujarat to 162 in 19.3 overs, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar taking three wickets to regain the Purple Cap.
How the Titans’ pressure briefly surfaced
The contest momentarily turned when Holder struck twice during the ninth over, giving Gujarat a rare sense of control. Rashid Khan, operating from the other end, tightened the pressure and reduced the effectiveness of RCB’s strokeplay for a stretch. The turning point sharpened even further when Prasidh Krishna produced two chances in just three balls to remove Rajat Patidar. Kagiso Rabada failed to take the easier chance, and Patidar immediately punished Gujarat for the let-off.
Patidar’s assault and the record-breaking 90-plus
With the ball not quite finding the right areas, the RCB captain shifted into a higher gear and began picking up boundaries with ease. He struck five sixes and nine boundaries in his innings, and for a period it looked as though a hundred was on the horizon. However, the tempo eased slightly in the closing stages of the innings, and Patidar finished not out on 93, made from only 33 deliveries, as RCB posted a demanding total of 254 for five.
That knock in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2026 has now been marked as the quickest 90-plus score in IPL history. Patidar’s strike rate of 281.81 bettered Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s earlier this season mark of 103 off 37 balls.
Kohli’s reaction steals the show
Beyond the numbers, the most talked-about moment came from Virat Kohli’s response to one of Patidar’s sixes. The incident arrived on the fourth ball of the 17th over against Kagiso Rabada. Seeking redemption after the dropped catch, Rabada bowled a length ball outside off. Patidar leaned back fractionally and launched a powerful lofted drive over cover, with the contact and timing sending the ball deep into the stands.
As the broadcast camera swung towards the RCB dugout, Kohli appeared completely stunned. He stepped forward as if to follow the flight of the ball, then looked back toward Patidar with an expression that suggested disbelief and a shortage of words. That six followed another huge moment earlier in the innings as Patidar raced to his fifty in similarly dominant fashion.
Why Patidar thrives in knockout situations
This was not a one-off display from Patidar when the pressure is highest. Whenever RCB have needed a player to deliver in must-win knockout scenarios, Patidar has repeatedly answered the call. His unbeaten 112 against Lucknow Super Giants in the 2022 Eliminator is still regarded as one of the defining playoff innings in IPL history.
Overall, Patidar has accumulated 338 runs in IPL playoff matches at a strike rate of 193, including a century and two fifties. He has also struck 24 sixes in IPL knockout games, a tally exceeded only by Suresh Raina (40), MS Dhoni (28), and Kieron Pollard (25).
RCB seal it and Gujarat fall short
RCB eventually completed a comfortable win, with their bowlers taking control in the second innings. Gujarat were dismissed for 162 in 19.3 overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar then produced a decisive spell to reclaim the Purple Cap, finishing with a three-wicket haul.
