Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar looked visibly aggrieved after a contentious third-umpire call in the IPL 2026 final in Ahmedabad gave Gujarat Titans batter Washington Sundar a major escape. The moment arrived at a stage where RCB were firmly on top, and Patidar’s frustration quickly became the focus after the replay review overturned what seemed destined to be a clean breakthrough.
RCB began the title clash in ideal fashion after winning the toss and electing to field. The defending champions struck twice within the powerplay to dismantle Gujarat’s leading batting duo. Josh Hazlewood removed Shubman Gill for 10, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar followed up by dismissing Sai Sudharsan for 12, leaving the Titans struggling early and under mounting pressure.
As Gujarat tried to steady the innings, Jacob Duffy looked to deliver another turning point for RCB. Bowling a short ball aimed at the leg stump, Duffy forced Washington Sundar into a mistimed pull. The ball raced toward the fine-leg region, where Jordan Cox initially completed what appeared to be a straightforward catch, sparking immediate celebrations in the field.
Those celebrations were quickly interrupted when the third umpire was called to assess whether the catch had been taken cleanly. Replays suggested Cox may not have maintained complete control of the ball during the entire taking motion. The footage indicated the ball could have been awkwardly wedged between the ring fingers of both hands, and while Cox appeared to hold on, there was still doubt over whether it made contact with the ground as he tried to finish the catch.
After reviewing the evidence, the third umpire ruled Washington Sundar not out, citing that there was not enough confirmation to establish a clean catch. The call left Patidar particularly dissatisfied, and he immediately went to the on-field officials to seek clarification on the decision-making process.
Television cameras captured the RCB captain in an extended conversation with the match officials, as he pushed for an explanation of why the catch was not upheld. From RCB’s viewpoint, the overturning of the wicket was especially frustrating given the start they had engineered with the new ball.
RCB’s disappointment also stemmed from the role Gujarat’s top order has played throughout IPL 2026. Both Gill and Sudharsan had scored more than 700 runs in the season, forming a key part of the Titans’ journey to the final. Their early dismissals had placed RCB firmly in charge, but Sundar’s escape opened a potential route for Gujarat to regain momentum in the contest.
