Royal Challengers Bengaluru produced a dominant display in IPL 2026 Qualifier 1, overpowering Gujarat Titans by 92 runs after setting a commanding 254/5. The chase offered little resistance, with GT collapsing early and eventually being dismissed for 162. Rajat Patidar was the standout, striking an unbeaten 93 off only 33 balls to steer RCB to a total that proved far too steep for Gujarat to chase.
Key takeaways
- RCB defeated GT by 92 runs in IPL 2026 Qualifier 1.
- Bengaluru posted 254/5, then restricted Gujarat to 162 all out.
- Rajat Patidar smashed an unbeaten 93 off 33 balls, featuring nine sixes and five fours.
- Virat Kohli and Krunal Pandya contributed 43 runs each to RCB’s innings.
- Glenn Phillips faced questions at the press conference despite not being in the playing XI.
RCB set the tone with a big total
Rajat Patidar spearheaded RCB’s innings with a ruthless knock of 93 not out from 33 deliveries. His innings included nine maximums and five boundaries, and it came when the pressure of a qualifier demanded a statement performance. Virat Kohli and Krunal Pandya added 43 runs apiece, helping RCB pile up runs while Gujarat’s bowling struggled to find consistent control.
From the outset, Gujarat’s chase never truly gained momentum. Their top order failed to provide a platform, with Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler all departing cheaply. With key wickets falling early, the required run rate became increasingly unrealistic, leaving the Titans with far too much to do.
Unable to recover from the early setbacks, Gujarat Titans were eventually bowled out for 162, sealing a comprehensive result for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Phillips responds to questions about mindset and scoreboard pressure
After the match, Glenn Phillips attended the press conference even though he did not feature in the playing XI. During the interaction, a reporter asked whether Gujarat had “mentally given up” after seeing RCB reach 254. Phillips reacted sharply, expressing that the premise of the question was unreasonable for professional cricketers.
Phillips said it was a “silly” question and criticised the suggestion that the team would enter a chase planning to give up. He added that the side went out to give their best effort, but acknowledged that in a chase of 250-plus, everything has to fall into place—something that did not happen on the day.
He further explained that the size of the target naturally brings heavy scoreboard pressure, and that even small errors become decisive when trying to chase a total of that magnitude. Phillips also admitted the scoreboard pressure played a significant role in Gujarat’s collapse, while insisting the team still gave everything they had on the field.
“There’s a huge amount of scoreboard pressure when you’re trying to chase 250,” Phillips said, noting that only a small number of teams have managed such chases successfully.
