Royal Challengers Bengaluru defended their IPL title on 1 June 2026, beating Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the final at the packed Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Virat Kohli's unbeaten 75 off 42 balls — his highest score in IPL playoffs — anchored the chase of 156 with two overs to spare, while RCB's seamers had earlier held GT to 155/8.

Kohli's Masterclass Sets the Tone

Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer launched the chase with ferocity, racing to 28 off 10 balls in the opening four overs. The pair brought up RCB's fifty in just 21 balls — the fastest fifty-partnership in an IPL final. Iyer contributed 32 off 16 deliveries despite a right knee niggle before holing out to mid-on off Mohammed Siraj.

Kohli, battling cramps in his right leg, reached his fifty off just 25 balls — his fastest half-century in the IPL — after pulling Arshad Khan through short mid-wicket. He survived a caught-out scare on 63 when replays showed the ball had touched the ground as Shubman Gill attempted a diving catch at mid-on. Fittingly, Kohli finished the chase himself, pulling Arshad into the gap and then clearing long-on for six to trigger jubilant celebrations.

The knock extended a remarkable streak: RCB have not lost a single game since 2025 whenever Kohli has scored a fifty in the league.

RCB Seamers Strangle Gujarat Titans

Pushed into batting first, GT were kept under pressure throughout by a disciplined RCB pace attack. Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar exploited bounce and movement on the mixed-soil pitch to remove Gill (10) and Sai Sudharsan (12) in quick succession. Rasikh Salam Dar was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 3 for 27, while Bhuvneshwar claimed 2 for 29.

Nishant Sindhu (20) and Jos Buttler attempted to rebuild before the former holed out to long-on and the latter was undone by a wide yorker and a sharp stumping by Jitesh Sharma. Arshad Khan briefly lifted spirits with the innings' first six in the 13th over, breaking a 40-ball boundary drought, but fell to Hazlewood for 15.

Washington Sundar's Fighting Fifty Not Enough

Washington Sundar stood tall amid the collapse, surviving an early scare — a catch by Jordan Cox was ruled grounded — before anchoring the innings to an unbeaten 50 off 37 balls. Rashid Khan cleared the ropes once to push GT past 150, but the total of 155/8 was never going to be sufficient against a Kohli-led RCB in full flow.

GT's challenge was further complicated by a gruelling schedule — they had played their third game at a third venue in six days, arriving in Ahmedabad only on Saturday night due to inclement weather. The 2022 champions, who had won their maiden title at this very ground, could not replicate that magic.

Historic Achievement for RCB

The victory makes RCB only the third franchise in IPL history to successfully defend their title, joining Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. The win also extends the streak of Qualifier 1 winners lifting the trophy to nine consecutive seasons.

For Hazlewood, the triumph means he remains unbeaten in white-ball finals. Krunal Pandya has now won every IPL final he has featured in. RCB also hold the distinction of simultaneously holding both the WPL and IPL titles — a rare double in Indian franchise cricket.

Brief Scores

Gujarat Titans 155/8 in 20 overs (Washington Sundar 50 not out, Nishant Sindhu 20; Rasikh Salam Dar 3-27, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2-29) lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru 161/5 in 18 overs (Virat Kohli 75 not out, Venkatesh Iyer 32; Rashid Khan 2-25) by five wickets.

With this clinical defence at the Narendra Modi Stadium — the very ground where they claimed their maiden title in 2025 — RCB have firmly established themselves as the dominant force of the modern IPL era.