RCB defeated GT by 92 runs in Qualifier 1 to reach IPL 2026 Final. Image Credit: ANI
Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans, Qualifier 1: Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Gujarat Titans to get one step closer to becoming the third team to successfully defend their title. Rajat Patidar certainly led from the front as he played a match-winning knock to lead his team to the IPL 2026 final. Having won the title in 2025, RCB needs just one more win to join Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians in winning two IPL titles back-to-back. With this defeat, GT will now face the winner of tonight’s Eliminator SRH vs RR in Qualifier 2. The Titans would want to get to the final, which is being played at their home, Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, where the Shubman Gill-led side has shown incredible form.
Gujrat Titans won the toss and decided to bowl first at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala. It was a quickfire start from Venkatesh Iyer as he raced to 19 runs during his seven-ball stay at the crease. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli started the innings cautiously but slowly picked up momentum and scored 43 runs in 25 balls before Jason Holder dismissed him. But it was Rajat Patidar, who played a blinder of a knock coming in at number four. The RCB skipper scored 93 runs in only 33 balls, hitting five fours and nine sixes. His innings meant that his team finished with a score of 254 runs.
In a disappointing bowling performance from the Titans, Kagiso Rabada and Jason Holder picked up a couple of wickets each. However, the former gave away 54 runs in four overs. Meanwhile, Rabada’s partner with the new ball, Mohammed Siraj, went for 56 in his three overs. Rashid Khan was the most economical bowler for GT, giving 29 runs in his three overs.
The bowlers from Royal Challengers Bengaluru were clinical in the second innings, defending such a huge score. Jacob Duffy, with the new ball, was right on the money as he dismissed Sai Sudharsan with a freak hit-wicket dismissal. Meanwhile, Bhuvneshwar Kumar picked up the huge wicket of Shubman Gill. Once the two GT openers were dismissed, it was expected that GT would fold quickly. Nishant Sindhu, Washington Sundar, and Jason Holder were dismissed for single-digit scores. Jos Buttler provided some resistance with a knock of 29 runs, but it was too little to cheer for in a mammoth chase. Meanwhile, impact sub, Rahul Tewatia, scored the most runs for GT. In his 43-ball stay at the crease, Tewatia made 68 runs, hitting eight fours and four sixes.
Rajat Patidar was the top scorer in the RCB vs GT, Qualifier 1. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper played an unbeaten knock of 93 runs off 33 deliveries in the first innings. Patidar smashed five fours and nine sixes, striking at a rate of 281. He was also named the player of the match for his batting performance, which led RCB to the IPL 2026 final.
Pragun is a passionate cricket follower and writer who deeply loves the game. Having completed his education with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has an experience of almost two years in diverse fields. He is known for his statistical and analytical articles. Pragun tries to bring life to his articles by adding a layer of enthusiasm from the perspective of a hardcore fan. Apart from writing cricket articles, he sometimes appears on YouTube videos on a friend’s podcast.
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