Ahmedabad, June 1: The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have secured the IPL 2026 title, defeating the Gujarat Titans (GT) by five wickets in a thrilling final. Virat Kohli played a pivotal role, scoring an unbeaten 75 runs and hitting a six to seal the victory for his team. This marks RCB’s second consecutive title, ending a 17-year wait for the championship. They had previously won the IPL 2025 title by overcoming the Punjab Kings, with Rajat Patidar as captain on both occasions.
RCB chased a target of 156 runs set by GT. Venkatesh Iyer and Virat Kohli provided a strong start, forming a 62-run partnership for the first wicket in just 4.3 overs. Iyer scored 32 runs off 16 balls, including two sixes and four fours, before being dismissed. However, RCB faced a quick collapse, losing three wickets for just 27 runs, leaving them at 89 for 3.
Kohli remained steady at one end, forming a crucial 41-run partnership with Tim David for the fourth wicket. David contributed 24 runs off 17 balls before getting out. Kohli reached his half-century in just 25 balls, marking his fastest fifty in IPL history. He finished with 75 runs off 42 balls, including three sixes and nine fours, leading RCB to victory. Kohli hit a six on the last ball of the 18th over to clinch the championship, while Jitesh Sharma supported him with 11 runs off 14 balls.
Earlier, Gujarat Titans, batting first after losing the toss, managed to score only 155 runs for the loss of eight wickets. Their star openers, captain Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan, failed to perform, scoring just 10 and 12 runs, respectively. Washington Sundar was the standout performer for GT, scoring an unbeaten 50 runs off 37 balls. Other contributors included Nishant Sindhu with 20 runs, Jos Buttler with 19, and Arshad Khan with 15 runs.
RCB’s bowlers delivered a disciplined performance, restricting GT’s batsmen from scoring freely. Rasikh Salam Dar was the standout bowler, taking three wickets for 27 runs in four overs. Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar each took two wickets, while Krunal Pandya claimed one.
This victory not only highlights RCB’s resilience but also cements Virat Kohli’s legacy as a champion player in the IPL.
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