BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia hailed Royal Challengers Bengaluru for lifting the IPL trophy for the second year in a row after their five-wicket triumph over Gujarat Titans in the 2026 final in Ahmedabad. Saikia’s congratulatory message also spotlighted teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, whose season-long impact played a major role in the tournament’s storylines.
Sooryavanshi, a 15-year-old batter from Bihar, produced a remarkable campaign for Rajasthan Royals. He finished as the leading run-getter of the tournament with 776 runs and an explosive strike rate of 237.30. At just 15 years and 65 days, he also became the youngest batter to claim the Orange Cap in IPL history.
The previous mark belonged to Gujarat Titans opener Sai Sudharsan, who won the award at 23 years and 231 days in 2025. Shubman Gill had set a similar benchmark in 2023, receiving the Orange Cap at 23 years and 263 days.
Speaking to reporters, Saikia said, “It was a wonderful season. I hope all fans have a great time during this IPL, and congratulations to RCB for winning the tournament consecutively twice. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is a brilliant talent coming through, and he has a very bright future. The BCCI will do everything possible to help him reach the highest level of cricket.”
Saikia also turned his attention to international cricket’s next big event, noting the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup later this month. He remarked, “That is the toughest challenge in the days ahead. They (Women in Blue) are already doing well, and I hope they can repeat last year’s performance by winning the ODI title.”
RCB’s triumph drew support beyond cricket circles as well, with BJP MP Anurag Thakur congratulating the Rajat Patidar-led side for winning the grand final against the Titans on Sunday night. Thakur said, “I congratulate RCB for winning the IPL for the second consecutive time. The match was in Ahmedabad, but many RCB fans came to watch it. It was a great victory in cricket—IPL is the biggest league in cricket. This is a very big achievement for the BCCI.”
IPL 2026 final: How RCB beat Gujarat Titans
- RCB won the toss and put Gujarat Titans in to bat first.
- GT managed 155/8 in their 20 overs, with Washington Sundar scoring 50 not out off 37 balls, hitting five fours, while Nishant Sindhu made 20 off 18 deliveries with three fours—both the only batters to surpass 20 runs.
- RCB’s bowling kept the pressure on throughout, with Rasikh Dar Salam returning figures of 3/27, Bhuvneshwar Kumar taking 2/29, and Josh Hazlewood grabbing 2/37.
- RCB’s chase began positively, driven by a 62-run partnership between Venkatesh Iyer (32 off 16, featuring four boundaries and two maximums) and Virat Kohli.
- GT fought back to bring RCB to 132/5 at one stage, tightening the contest.
- Virat Kohli then steadied the innings, finishing with 75 not out from 42 balls, including nine fours and three sixes.
- With two overs remaining, RCB completed the chase to win by five wickets.
With the win, RCB secured their second IPL title and their fourth major Indian franchise trophy overall, a haul that also includes two Women’s Premier League (WPL) championships.
