Royal Challengers Bengaluru booked a place in a second straight Indian Premier League final after overpowering Gujarat Titans by 92 runs in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday. RCB, who topped the league phase of the tournament, carried that momentum into the knockout round, driven by an explosive unbeaten innings from captain Rajat Patidar and a fast-bowling display that unsettled the Titans’ top order early.
At the start of their chase, Gujarat Titans needed a strong opening, but their plans were disrupted inside the powerplay as both in-form batters walked back cheaply. Sai Sudharsan’s dismissal was especially unusual—his bat slipped from his hands while he tried to play a shot off Jacob Duffy (3/39), and the ball struck the stumps, leaving Sudharsan stunned on 14.
Gujarat’s troubles intensified almost immediately afterward when skipper Shubman Gill was bowled for just two by Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The experienced seamer struck again with the new ball, underlining why he remains such a consistent threat at the start of an innings. Bhuvneswar finished with figures of 2/28 and is now sitting on 26 wickets, currently holding the Purple Cap.
Josh Hazlewood then struck in quick fashion, removing Jos Buttler for 29, while Rasikh Salam made further inroads in the final powerplay over. Salam took two wickets—sending Nishant Sandhu (5) and Jason Holder (0) back—leaving the Titans reeling at 51 for five and struggling to find any rhythm against a sharp RCB attack.
What began as a contest of equals quickly became a one-sided chase as Gujarat appeared to buckle under the weight of the target. Washington Sundar ended up with 8 runs, but impact batter Rahul Tewatiya managed 68 in an effort to keep the chase alive. Still, the game had effectively slipped away once RCB’s total started looking out of reach.
In the end, Gujarat Titans were dismissed for 162, ensuring RCB moved into their fifth IPL final. Their previous appearances came in 2009, 2011, 2016, 2025, and now 2026.
Earlier, RCB had set up the dominant platform by posting 254 for five after being put in to bat. Patidar, one of the defining stories of the season, delivered one of the most destructive performances of the campaign, remaining unbeaten on 93 off 33 balls. He struck boundaries with apparent ease after being given a couple of chances early, and then escalated the tempo in the closing overs.
With the match nearing its decisive phase, Patidar went after the Gujarat bowlers in the death overs, helping RCB reach the 250-run mark in emphatic fashion. He finished with nine sixes and five fours, and the surge was powered by a huge acceleration—86 runs coming in the final five overs, including 114 runs in the last six.
As the chase collapsed, the result also prompted a message of celebration from Vijay Mallya. The former owner extended congratulations to RCB on social media after they secured victory in Dharamshala and advanced as defending champions.
