Royal Challengers Bengaluru completed a triumphant defence of their IPL crown, beating Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the IPL 2026 final at the same Ahmedabad venue where they had celebrated their maiden title a year earlier. The script felt destined from the start, and it was Virat Kohli who ultimately brought the chase to a close with the winning six, finishing off yet another landmark night for the franchise.
Kohli once again reminded everyone why he is regarded as one of the IPL’s greats, producing a match-winning innings of 75 not out from 42 deliveries. His unbeaten effort earned him the Player of the Match award, a notable addition to his final record and one that made him the second-oldest winner of the honour in an IPL final.
Oldest Players to Win Player of the Match in an IPL Final:
Anil Kumble (RCB, 2009) – 38 years, 219 days
Virat Kohli (RCB, 2026) – 37 years, 207 days
Faf du Plessis (CSK, 2021) – 37 years, 94 days
Shane Watson (CSK, 2018) – 36 years, 344 days
The award also propelled Kohli to another career milestone. With this win, he moved ahead of Rohit Sharma to become the Indian player with the most Player of the Match awards in IPL history. Rohit and Kohli had been level at 21 awards coming into the final, and Kohli’s performance pushed him to 22, drawing him level with Chris Gayle in the overall tally.
Most Player of the Match Awards in IPL History:
AB de Villiers – 25
Chris Gayle – 22
Virat Kohli – 22
Rohit Sharma – 21
MS Dhoni – 1
Carrying the tag of defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru kept their standards high and secured back-to-back IPL titles. They did it by defeating Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, extending their run of big-match consistency.
Gujarat Titans set the tone early with 155/8 from their 20 overs, but RCB’s bowling unit maintained pressure and kept the more dangerous parts of the Titans’ batting under control. Even though there were a few late boundaries, Gujarat never managed to string together meaningful partnerships and their total ended up below par. In response, RCB chased the target with calm confidence, finishing on 161/5 in only 18 overs.
Kohli was central to everything positive in the chase. He stayed unbeaten on 75 off 42 balls, providing the kind of control that prevents late wobble and ensures a chase doesn’t get complicated. With his innings paving the way, RCB crossed the line with two overs remaining, confirming their second consecutive IPL crown.
