NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru sealed a second Indian Premier League crown on Sunday, brushing aside Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the title match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Alongside the trophy lift, the final also set off a fresh set of milestones. RCB’s triumph marked them as only the third franchise in IPL history to defend their title successfully, joining the elite group already achieved by Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians.
While the celebrations dominated the night, one noteworthy achievement slipped under the spotlight. Phil Salt and Suyash Sharma, both representing RCB, ended up completing an uncommon “title hat-trick” as a pairing, a feat that puts them into an exclusive group of players who have won three consecutive IPL championships. The two had first tasted success together when Kolkata Knight Riders won the IPL in 2024. They then went on to add back-to-back trophies with Bengaluru in 2025 and 2026.
In doing so, they joined Karn Sharma as the only cricketers to win three consecutive IPL titles as players. Sharma completed the run by winning with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016, then with Mumbai Indians in 2017, and finally with Chennai Super Kings in 2018—becoming the first individual to complete an IPL title hat-trick.
Salt, who was acquired by RCB for Rs 11.50 crore at the IPL 2025 auction, had been part of the Kolkata Knight Riders squad that lifted the 2024 trophy under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer. After that season, KKR released him. Bengaluru then emerged from a competitive auction battle at IPL 2025 to secure the services of the England wicketkeeper-batter.
The 29-year-old now boasts three straight IPL winners’ medals. In IPL 2026, Salt appeared in six matches, piling up 202 runs at a strike rate of 168.33.
Across 40 IPL matches, Salt has amassed 1,258 runs with a strike rate of 174.48, including 12 half-centuries.
Suyash, meanwhile, was picked up by RCB for Rs 2.60 crore at the IPL 2025 auction. The young leg-spinner delivered a solid IPL 2026, taking nine wickets across 12 games while keeping his economy rate at 9.21.
Overall in IPL history, Suyash has collected 27 wickets in 39 matches, striking at an average of 44.07.
Most IPL titles by a player
The all-time list for the most IPL championships is packed with several of the competition’s biggest names. Rohit Sharma and Ambati Rayudu are tied at the top with six trophies each. Rohit won his maiden title with Deccan Chargers in 2009 before becoming a mainstay of Mumbai Indians’ success, helping the franchise add five more championships between 2013 and 2020. Rayudu, in contrast, captured three titles with Mumbai Indians and another three with Chennai Super Kings.
A group of six players share second place, each with five IPL titles: MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Kieron Pollard, Aditya Tare and Krunal Pandya. Dhoni’s five championships all arrived with Chennai Super Kings, while Bumrah and Pollard were key members of Mumbai Indians squads that finished on top.
Hardik Pandya won four titles with Mumbai Indians before guiding Gujarat Titans to the championship in 2022. Krunal Pandya is the newest name to join the five-title club after winning consecutive IPL crowns with RCB in 2025 and 2026—adding those two trophies to the three championships he previously won with Mumbai Indians.
Several other IPL stalwarts have lifted four trophies each, including Harbhajan Singh, Karn Sharma, Suresh Raina, Lasith Malinga and Ravindra Jadeja.
However, when the focus turns to winning three consecutive IPL titles as a player, Salt, Suyash and Karn Sharma stand alone. The trio are the only cricketers in IPL history to have achieved the rare accomplishment of a title hat-trick.
Most IPL titles by a player: All-time list
- Rohit Sharma — 6: Deccan Chargers (2009); Mumbai Indians (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020)
- Ambati Rayudu — 6: Mumbai Indians (2013, 2015, 2017); Chennai Super Kings (2018, 2021, 2023)
- MS Dhoni — 5: Chennai Super Kings (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023)
- Hardik Pandya — 5: Mumbai Indians (2015, 2017, 2019, 2020); Gujarat Titans (2022)
- Jasprit Bumrah — 5: Mumbai Indians (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020)
- Kieron Pollard — 5: Mumbai Indians (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020)
- Aditya Tare — 5: Mumbai Indians (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020)
- Krunal Pandya — 5: Mumbai Indians (2017, 2019, 2020); Royal Challengers Bengaluru (2025, 2026)
- Harbhajan Singh — 4: Mumbai Indians (2013, 2015, 2017); Chennai Super Kings (2018)
- Karn Sharma — 4: Sunrisers Hyderabad (2016); Mumbai Indians (2017); Chennai Super Kings (2018, 2021)
- Suresh Raina — 4: Chennai Super Kings (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021)
- Lasith Malinga — 4: Mumbai Indians (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019)
- Ravindra Jadeja — 4: Rajasthan Royals (2008); Chennai Super Kings (2018, 2021, 2023)
- Phil Salt — 3: Kolkata Knight Riders (2024); Royal Challengers Bengaluru (2025, 2026)
- Suyash Sharma — 3: Kolkata Knight Riders (2024); Royal Challengers Bengaluru (2025, 2026)
Stay tuned for live coverage of the IPL 2026 Final between RCB and GT, with real-time updates and the latest tournament news, including the battle for the Orange Cap and Purple Cap.
