Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) secured a thrilling 5-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2026 final, successfully defending their title. After restricting GT to 155/8, Virat Kohli starred with an unbeaten 75 off 42 balls, while Venkatesh Iyer and Tim David provided crucial support, guiding RCB to back-to-back IPL championships.
The team that was once called the IPL’s unluckiest franchise has just made history by becoming champions for the second time in a row. In the IPL 2026 final at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Gujarat Titans (GT) by 5 wickets to lift the trophy. With this win, RCB not only secured its second IPL title but also successfully defended its crown.
The biggest hero of this historic victory was Virat Kohli, who played a brilliant knock of 75 not out under pressure to take his team across the finish line.
Bowlers set the stage for victory
RCB’s captain, Rajat Patidar, won the toss and chose to bowl first, a decision his bowlers completely justified.
Gujarat Titans had a very poor start. Captain Shubman Gill was out for just 10 runs, while Sai Sudarsan couldn’t get past 12. Jos Buttler and Nishant Sindhu tried to steady the innings, but RCB’s bowlers kept the pressure on. All-rounder Krunal Pandya got Jos Buttler stumped with a brilliant delivery, which completely slowed down Gujarat’s scoring rate.
Also Read: IPL 2026: Kohli’s masterclass guides RCB to second successive title
Washington Sundar puts up a fight
While wickets were falling at one end, Washington Sundar took charge at the other. He scored a crucial 50 not out from 37 balls, playing a key role in getting the team to a respectable total. Nishant Sindhu also contributed 20 runs, but no other batsman could build a big innings. Gujarat Titans finished with 155 for 8 in their 20 overs.
For RCB, young pacer Rasikh Salam was the most successful bowler. He took 3 wickets for 27 runs in his 4 overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood also chipped in with two wickets each.
Virat and Venkatesh provide a fiery start
Chasing 156, RCB got off to a fantastic start thanks to Virat Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer. The two added 62 runs for the first wicket. Venkatesh Iyer smashed 32 runs off just 16 balls, including four fours and two sixes.
After his dismissal, Gujarat tried to make a comeback by taking wickets at regular intervals. Devdutt Padikkal got out early, and Rashid Khan made the match exciting by sending Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya back in the same over.
Virat Kohli plays the finisher’s role
When RCB’s score was 132/5, it looked like Gujarat had a real chance to win. But Virat Kohli used all his experience and held one end firmly. He scored an unbeaten 75 off just 42 balls, an innings that included 9 fours and 3 sixes. Most importantly, he stayed till the end and hit the winning six to seal the trophy for RCB. His batting in the final was a perfect mix of aggression and calm.
Also Read: RCB vs GT, IPL 2026 Final: Washington Sundar’s Controversial ‘Not Out’ Call Sparks Umpiring Debate
A special record in the final
In this match, Virat Kohli reached his half-century in just 25 balls, which is the fastest fifty of his IPL career. It also became one of the fastest fifties in the history of IPL finals. An innings like this in a big match once again proved why Virat Kohli is considered one of the world’s best chase masters.