Rajat Patidar delivered a breathtaking unbeaten 93 off 39 balls as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) posted a record-breaking 254/5 in 20 overs against Gujarat Titans (GT) in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2026 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala on Tuesday, 26 May. The total is the highest ever recorded in IPL playoff history, surpassing all previous benchmarks at this stage of the tournament.

Explosive Start: Power-play Dominance

Virat Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer set the tone immediately after Gujarat Titans won the toss and elected to field. Iyer launched into former RCB pacer Mohammed Siraj from ball one, smashing three boundaries in the opening over before targeting Kagiso Rabada with a six — only to fall on the very next delivery for a blistering 19 off 7 balls (three fours, one six), caught by Shubman Gill off a miscued pull.

The early loss barely dented RCB's intent. Devdutt Padikkal joined Kohli, and the pair launched a fierce counterattack. Kohli drove Siraj with authority while Padikkal plundered Rabada for three successive fours in one over. Kohli then dominated the final Power-play over, hitting Rabada for two boundaries and a six to propel RCB to 76/1 — their highest Power-play total of the season.

Gujarat Strike Back, But Briefly

Jason Holder provided the breakthrough, removing Kohli for a fluent 43 off 25 balls (five fours, one six) when the ball clipped the edge and crashed into the stumps. Holder struck again in the same over, dismissing Padikkal for a brisk 30 off 19 (five boundaries) to leave RCB wobbling at 102/3, having slipped from 91/1.

The double strike threatened to hand Gujarat a foothold, but captain Rajat Patidar and the promoted Krunal Pandya had other ideas.

Patidar and Krunal Rebuild, Then Explode

The pair rebuilt patiently before shifting gears dramatically in the middle overs. Krunal opened the acceleration with a six off Prasidh Krishna. Patidar, meanwhile, survived two dropped catches in the 13th over — a reprieve that would prove decisive.

The missed chances visibly unnerved Gujarat. Kulwant Khejroliya bowled two no-balls in the following over, while a costly misfield by Nishant Sandhu compounded the pressure. RCB collected 28 runs from the 15th over alone. Even Rashid Khan, among the most economical T20 bowlers in the world, was hit for 21 runs in a single over as RCB raced past the 200-run mark.

Rabada eventually ended the stand, dismissing Krunal with a well-disguised slower delivery. Krunal's contribution: 43 off 28 balls, featuring five fours and two sixes.

Patidar's Captain's Knock Sets the Record

With the partnership broken, Patidar took sole ownership of the innings. He brought up his half-century in just 21 balls — with back-to-back sixes off Rabada in the 17th over. Tim David, returning to the XI, contributed only 4 before being bowled by Prasidh Krishna, but Patidar ensured the run-rate never dipped.

A cameo of 15 from Jitesh Sharma helped RCB breach the 250-run barrier. Patidar finished unbeaten on 93 off 39 balls, with five fours and nine sixes, in one of the most dominant captain's knocks in IPL playoff history. For Gujarat, Holder (2/39) and Rabada (2/54) were the only wicket-takers, though both went for significant runs.

Scorecard Snapshot and What's Next

Royal Challengers Bengaluru 254/5 in 20 overs — Rajat Patidar 93*, Virat Kohli 43, Krunal Pandya 43; Jason Holder 2/39, Kagiso Rabada 2/54 — against Gujarat Titans. Gujarat Titans now face the daunting task of chasing the highest total in IPL playoff history. RCB will be looking to carry this momentum into what promises to be a high-voltage finish to IPL 2026.