Gujarat Titans Collapse in IPL 2026 Final Leaves RCB Chasing 156

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru put themselves in a strong position to retain their IPL crown after producing a clinical bowling performance against Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

After winning the toss, RCB captain Rajat Patidar opted to field first, and his pace attack immediately justified the decision. The bowlers stuck to disciplined lengths, offered little room for free scoring, and ensured Gujarat never gained momentum during the Powerplay.

The first breakthrough came when Josh Hazlewood dismissed GT captain Shubman Gill for 10. The Titans suffered another setback shortly after when Sai Sudharsan, attempting to accelerate against Bhuvneshwar Kumar, top-edged a short ball to wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma. By the end of six overs, Gujarat were struggling at 45/2.

Why could Gujarat Titans never build a substantial partnership?

The Titans' problems deepened once the spinners entered the attack.

Krunal Pandya bowled a miserly spell and applied pressure through the middle overs, allowing the seamers to attack from the other end. Nishant Sindhu tried to counterattack but fell to Rasikh Salam Dar after scoring 20 from 18 balls.

With boundaries becoming increasingly difficult to find, Gujarat reached only 73/3 after 12 overs. The pressure eventually forced another mistake when Jos Buttler, who managed 19 from 23 deliveries, was dismissed by Krunal Pandya in the 13th over.

At 83/4, Gujarat needed a rescue act, but RCB's bowlers continued to dictate terms.

Did Gujarat have any late fightback?

There were brief signs of resistance.

Arshad Khan and Washington Sundar injected some urgency by collecting 16 runs in the 14th over. However, Hazlewood quickly ended the partnership by dismissing Arshad for a rapid 15 off six balls.

Rahul Tewatia's arrival also failed to change the game's direction. Rasikh Salam Dar removed him for seven, leaving Gujarat at 121/6 after 17 overs.

Washington Sundar then played the most significant innings of the night for Gujarat. Alongside Jason Holder, he helped GT collect valuable runs in the death overs and move closer to a competitive total. Sundar eventually reached a half-century from 37 deliveries, providing some much-needed stability amid the collapse around him.

How did RCB finish the innings so strongly?

Even as Gujarat attempted a late surge, RCB maintained control.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned in the penultimate over to dismiss Holder for seven, ensuring GT could not launch a major assault at the death.

Rashid Khan briefly entertained the crowd by smashing Rasikh Salam Dar for a six off the first ball of the final over. However, Rasikh responded immediately by dismissing Rashid on the next delivery.

Gujarat managed only a handful of runs after that and closed their innings on 155/8 in 20 overs, a total that looked below par on a ground known for high-scoring contests.

Who were the standout performers with the ball?

RCB's victory in the first half of the final was built on a complete team bowling effort.

Rasikh Salam Dar emerged as the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/27 in four overs, repeatedly striking whenever Gujarat looked to rebuild. Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivered an excellent new-ball and death-over spell to finish with 2/29, while Josh Hazlewood claimed the crucial wickets of Shubman Gill and Arshad Khan on his way to 2/37.

Krunal Pandya's economical spell also played a key role, as he dismissed Jos Buttler and squeezed Gujarat's scoring rate during the middle overs.

What does RCB need to do now?

RCB require 156 runs to successfully chase down the target and defend their IPL title. Given the conditions and the quality of their batting line-up, they will begin the chase as favourites, but Gujarat's bowling attack still possesses enough firepower to make the contest interesting.

The final now hinges on whether RCB's batters can complete the job after their bowlers delivered a near-perfect first innings performance.

(With inputs from ANI)