Royal Challengers Bengaluru, a team that had failed to win the IPL title for 17 years, claimed the trophy for the first time in 2025 and has now successfully defended the title, becoming champions for the second consecutive time. In the IPL 2026 final, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru team, led by captain Rajat Patidar, faced the Gujarat Titans. Chasing a target of 156 runs, they managed to secure victory in 18 overs for the loss of 5 wickets. Virat Kohli shone with the bat in this match, playing a magnificent half-century while chasing the target.

Kohli Anchors One End; Venkatesh Iyer Plays an Explosive Innings
In the final against Gujarat Titans, RCB needed 156 runs to win. Virat Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer opened the innings, sharing a 62-run partnership for the first wicket in just 4.3 overs. This partnership effectively turned the final into a one-sided affair early on. Venkatesh Iyer fell to Mohammed Siraj after scoring 32 runs off 16 balls. Devdutt Padikkal, who came in next, failed to make an impact and was dismissed for just one run. Meanwhile, RCB captain Rajat Patidar (15) and Krunal Pandya (1) also lost their wickets cheaply.

Virat and David Steady the Ship; RCB Records an Easy Victory
While chasing the target, RCB had lost four wickets by the time the score reached 91; Virat Kohli, who was holding one end, was then joined by Tim David. The pair shared a 41-run partnership for the fifth wicket in this match. Tim David was dismissed after scoring 24 runs. Virat Kohli played an unbeaten innings of 75 runs in the final. For Gujarat Titans, Rashid Khan claimed two wickets, while Siraj, Arshad Khan, and Rabada took one wicket each.

Only Sundar Shines with the Bat for GT
In the IPL 2026 match, Gujarat Titans batted first after losing the toss; Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan—from whom the best performances were expected—proved to be major disappointments. Both were dismissed before the end of the first six overs. Subsequently, Washington Sundar was the only GT batsman to make a significant impact, scoring 50 runs off 37 balls, while no other batsman managed to cross the 20-run mark. For RCB, Rasikh Salam Dar was the top wicket-taker with three scalps, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood took two wickets each, and Krunal Pandya claimed one.