RCB vs GT Highlights, IPL 2026 Final: Virat Kohli leads Bengaluru to glory RCB wins back-to-back title

IPL 2026 FINAL: The Qualifier 1 Advantage Continues

RCB's title run also reinforced a long-standing IPL trend. Since the current playoff format was introduced in 2011, the winner of Qualifier 1 has gone on to win 13 of the 16 IPL finals. Remarkably, every IPL champion since 2018 has come through Qualifier 1. RCB all-rounder Krunal Pandya added another remarkable achievement to his decorated IPL career. He became one of only six players to feature in five or more IPL title-winning campaigns.

IPL 2026 FINAL: RCB End 17-Year Wait and Build a Dynasty

For years, Royal Challengers Bengaluru were synonymous with heartbreak. Despite boasting some of the biggest names in cricket, the franchise failed to win a single IPL title during the first 17 years of the competition. That narrative changed dramatically in 2025 when RCB finally lifted their maiden IPL trophy. If that victory ended the curse, the 2026 triumph established their dominance.

Under captain Rajat Patidar, RCB defeated Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the final to become only the third franchise in IPL history to win consecutive titles after Chennai Super Kings (2010, 2011) and Mumbai Indians (2019, 2020).

IPL 2026 FINAL: Virat also surpassed Rohit

The award also helped Kohli achieve another significant milestone. He moved past Rohit Sharma to become the Indian player with the most Player of the Match awards in IPL history. Having been tied with Rohit on 21 awards, Kohli's performance in the final took him to 22, drawing level with Chris Gayle in the overall standings.

Most Player of the Match Awards in IPL History:

AB de Villiers – 25
Chris Gayle – 22
Virat Kohli – 22
Rohit Sharma – 21
MS Dhoni – 1 8

IPL 2026 FINAL: New record for Virat Kohli

Royal Challengers Bengaluru successfully defended their IPL crown by defeating Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the IPL 2026 final at the same Ahmedabad venue where they lifted their maiden title a year ago. Fittingly, it was Virat Kohli who sealed the victory with the winning six, capping off another memorable night in the franchise's history.

Kohli once again underlined his status as one of the IPL's all-time greats with a match-winning unbeaten 75 off 42 balls. His knock earned him the Player of the Match award, making him the second-oldest player to win the honour in an IPL final.

Oldest Players to Win Player of the Match in an IPL Final:

• Anil Kumble (RCB, 2009) – 38 years, 219 days
• Virat Kohli (RCB, 2026) – 37 years, 207 days
• Faf du Plessis (CSK, 2021) – 37 years, 94 days
• Shane Watson (CSK, 2018) – 36 years, 344 days

IPL 2026 FINAL: RCB etched name with CSK and MI

Teams winning consecutive IPL titles
CSK - 2010 and 2011
MI - 2019 and 2020
RCB - 2025 and 2026

Multiple IPL title wins
5 - MI
5 - CSK
3 - KKR
2 - RCB

Winning two IPL finals at the same venue
MI - Kolkata (2013, 2015)
MI - Hyderabad (2017, 2019)
KKR - Chennai (2012, 2024)
RCB - Ahmedabad (2025, 2026)

IPL 2026 FINAL: A record for Kohli

Oldest to win POTM in an IPL final

38y 219d - Anil Kumble (RCB, 2009)
37y 207d - Virat Kohli (RCB, 2026)
37y 94d - Faf du Plessis (CSK, 2021)
36y 344d - Shane Watson (CSK, 2018)

IPL 2026 FINAL: Patidar dedicates it

The hastily organised victory celebrations in June 2025 had resulted in a stampede outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, claiming the lives of 11 supporters. Reflecting on the tragedy, Patidar said in the post-match press conference, "Obviously, you feel bad. You lost your fans after winning the game. Not just the fans, they are family members. I always wanted to dedicate this trophy to them. That's it. I don't have words to express that feeling."

IPL 2026 FINAL: 2026's award winners

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gets the Orange Cap for scoring 776 runs in the season

Kagiso Rabada gets the Purple Cap for taking 29 wickets in the season

Punjab Kings get the fairplay award

Manish Pandey gets the Catch of the Season award - he dismissed Tim David taking a blinder at backward point

Mohammed Siraj gets an award for bowling the most number of dot balls (172) in the season

Sai Sudharsan gets an award for hitting the most number of fours (75) in the season

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gets the awards for the Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker of the Season (237.3), Super Sixes of the Season (72)

IPL 2026 FINAL

IPL 2026 CHAMPIONS, RCB

IPL 2026 FINAL: IPL 2026 CHAMPIONS, RCB

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: Most Valuable Player of the season

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is the Most Valuable Player of the season (PLAYER OF THE SERIES)

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: Super striker of the season

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is the 'Super Striker of the Season' and also wins the Super Sixes of the Season award

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: Emerging player of the season

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi wins 'Emerging Player of the Season' award

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: 'It's stuff that you dream of,' says Kohli

"It's stuff that you dream of. Thought of this moment many times, to win the IPL and stand here. The kind of team you gives you the confidence to see off any kind of situation. Such is the demand of the sport today. You have these young players pushing you hard and asking you to get better. You need to get those 20-30 runs extra. I had to change my mindset, not so much by game, to get those runs. Tha target was to finish top of the table. A lot of people asked who we would prefer to play in the play. But we didn't care of the jersey in front of us. We are a professional group. They probably looked to get me out early but I had the confidence that even if I get out there is enough depth in the side to pull it off. There was total clarity and both of us wanted to strike. We had small targets in mind. Credit to Venkatesh as well. Stepped in and did a beautiful job. I always say that we don't have just 7 home games we have 14. GT are the home team."

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: Player of the match

Virat Kohli wins 'Player of the Match' award for his 75-run knock in the finals

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: We are all set for the presentation ceremony

Presentation ceremony begins at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad

IPL 2026 FINAL

Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla (2nd from right) with mother Rajashree Birla (3rd from right), daughter Ananya Birla (top left), wife Neeraja Birla (bottom right), RCB’s new chairman Aryaman Birla (bottom left); and vice-chairman from the Times of India Group Satyan Gajwani (top right) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: 'Everything is special,' says Krunal Pandya

"There's no doubt about it, everything is special. It's like having kids, winning IPL titles is also hard to achieve, so everything feels special to me. A lot of credit goes to the support staff: Mo Bobat, Andy Flower, DK, Malolan. Half of the win is in the auction and we did a good job, I'm glad we went back-to-back for the trophies. 18 years of waiting, back-to-back trophies, it's special and the supporters have been behind us. Also to Virat Kohli, waited 18 years and now winning two titles on the back," said Krunal Pandya after the match.

RCB chairman Aryaman Birla (left) & vice chairman Satyan Gajwani at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

RCB vs GT LIVE SCORE: '. Composure of the guys shone through tonight,' says Virat Kohli

"I said to a few of the boys that there doesn't seem to be the same kind of pressure that was there last year. Composure of the guys shone through tonight. After the break we had a couple of losses but we wanted to finish top. The win against MI gave us a lot of confidence. Just to have a group of guys where you don't feel that you are the only guy who has step up for the team is amazing," Kohli said after the match.

Calm amid the chaos, Kohli paced the chase with the assurance of a man who had lived every possible cricketing script. The greatest chase-master the game has seen took control, steering RCB towards what appeared to be a second successive IPL title with a commanding innings of unbeaten 75. It was fitting that the winning six also came from Kohli's willow.

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: Virat Kohli finishes off in style

Virat Kohli finishes the chase in style. Arshad Khan serves up a full delivery in his hitting zone and Kohli responds by launching it over long-on for six. The maximum seals a five-wicket victory for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who secure their second IPL title, with Kohli striking the winning runs.

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: RCB ARE IPL 2026 CHAMPIONS

Virat Kohli delivers on big night; RCB chase down 156 to retain IPL crown

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: Royal Challengers Bengaluru need 8 runs in 18 balls

RCB are on the cusp of glory.

RCB: 148/5 (17)

RCB vs GT LIVE SCORE: RCB move closer

Virat Kohli punishes a short delivery down the leg side from Arshad Khan. He gets into position quickly and plays a controlled pull shot, using his wrists to guide the ball fine towards the boundary at fine leg for four runs. 6 runs come off the over. Royal Challengers Bengaluru need 11 runs in 24 balls.

RCB: 145/5 (16)

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: Jitesh begins with a four

Jitesh Sharma gets underway with a boundary. Prasidh Krishna pitches it up outside off and Jitesh responds with a clean drive through extra cover after moving across the crease early. He finds the gap perfectly and the ball races away to the fence.

RCB: 139/5 (15)

RCB vs GT LIVE SCORE: WICKET! Tim David is gone

Arshad Khan gets the wicket of Tim David after Gujarat Titans successfully review the on-field decision. Jos Buttler takes the catch and immediately appeals, but the umpire is not convinced. GT opt for the review, and UltraEdge shows a clear nick, leading to the decision being overturned. David's innings comes to an end at 24 off 17 balls, giving GT another important breakthrough.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru need 24 runs in 36 balls

RCB: 132/5 (14)

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: Stat Attack!

Fastest 50s in IPL final (by balls faced)
24 - Suresh Raina (CSK) vs MI, Mumbai DYP, 2010
24 - David Warner (SRH) vs RCB, Bengaluru, 2016
24 - Venkatesh Iyer (KKR) vs SRH, Chennai, 2024
25 - Rohit Sharma (MI) vs CSK, Kolkata, 2015
25 - Chris Gayle (RCB) vs SRH, Bengaluru, 2016
25 - Virat Kohli (RCB) vs GT, Ahmedabad, 2026

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: Virat Kohli smashes record fifty

Virat Kohli broke a personal record by smashing a 25-ball half-century which is his fastest ever in the IPL. He reached the milestone by pulling Arshad Khan past short midwicket for four, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Arshad recovered well to concede just three singles off the remaining deliveries, keeping RCB to a steady 116-4.

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: Boundary for Tim David

A tight run-out review started the over with high tension, followed by a major scare when Virat Kohli called for the physio with a hamstring issue. He stayed on, but Rashid Khan kept the pressure high with sharp googlies. Tim David got the final laugh, flashing hard at the last ball to edge it past slip for four, moving RCB to 109-4.

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: RCB crosses 100

Virat Kohli started the over with a stylish flick down leg for four, but Jason Holder bounced back well with three tight dot balls. Tim David then broke the mini-shackles by cracking a short ball through the leg-side for a boundary to bring up the 100 for RCB.

A sharp bouncer ended the 9-run over, leaving RCB at 100-4 at the halfway mark.

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: WICKET! RASHID KHAN STRIKES TWICE IN AN OVER

Rashid Khan strikes again as Krunal Pandya is trapped in front of the stumps. The umpire raises his finger straight away and, after a brief discussion with Virat Kohli, Krunal decides not to review the decision. Gujarat Titans celebrate another wicket as Krunal departs for just 1 run off 2 balls, giving GT a way back into the contest.

GT: 91/4 (9)

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: WICKET! Rashid Khan strikes

Rashid Khan breaks the partnership by dismissing Rajat Patidar. The RCB captain looks to take on a full delivery and goes for a big shot, but fails to get the distance. The ball goes straight to Kagiso Rabada, who completes the catch comfortably. Patidar's innings ends at 15 runs from 13 balls. RCB lose their third wicket.

RCB vs GT LIVE SCORE: Patidar, Kohli keep chase on track

Jason Holder comes intot he attack and bowls at tight lines but Rajat Patidar makes full use when Holder pulls his length back on the last ball. Patidar slams the pull through midwicket.

7 runs come off the over.

RCB: 88/2 (8)

RCB vs GT LIVE SCORE: SIX! Patidar goes big

Rajat Patidar takes on Mohammed Siraj with a powerful pull shot. Spotting the short-of-length delivery early, he swivels into position and sends the ball sailing over deep backward square leg for a six. The shot travels 80 metres and keeps the scoreboard moving for RCB.

11 runs come off the over

RCB: 81/2 (7)

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: WICKET! Padikkal departs; kagiso Rabada strikes

Kagiso Rabada strikes again and moves to the top of the wicket charts for the season with his 29th wicket. Devdutt Padikkal tries to go over the infield against a full delivery outside off but fails to time the shot properly. The ball goes high towards third man, where Arshad Khan initially misjudges it slightly before recovering well to complete a neat catch. Padikkal departs after scoring just 1 off 4 balls.

RCB: 70/2 (6)

RCB vs GT LIVE SCORE WICKETTTTTTTTTT! MOHAMMED SIRAJ STRIKES

Mohammed Siraj provides Gujarat Titans with a much-needed breakthrough by dismissing Venkatesh Iyer. The left-hander's aggressive innings comes to an end when he finds Kagiso Rabada in the field, departing after scoring 32 off 16 balls. Siraj celebrates the wicket as GT pull things back with the removal of a batter who had looked dangerous.

RCB: 63/1 (5)

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: Rabada under pressure

Virat Kohli goes bang bang and takes on Kagiso Rabda with class and ruthlessness. Kohli hits two consecutive fours to begin the over, followed by a six and one more four with a pull past square leg.

19 runs come off the over and RCB are on a roll.

RCB: 55/0 (4)

RCB vs GT LIVE SCORE: Virat Kohli takes on Siraj

Virat Kohli gets going with two boundaries in the over against Mohammed Siraj. The first comes off a fuller delivery on the stumps, which Kohli clips neatly through the leg side using the bowler's pace to find the fence behind square. A couple of balls later, Siraj drops it slightly short outside off and Kohli is quick to react, swivelling into position and pulling the ball past mid-wicket for another four.

RCB: 36/0 (3)

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: Kagiso Rabada comes into the attack

Kagiso Rabada comes into the attack and Venkatesh Iyer takes him on. Suffering from pain, Venkatesh Iyer hits Rabada for four on the first ball over cover-point. He follows it up with a six over deep mid-wicket and two more fours.

18 runs off the over.

RCB: 23/0 (2)

RCB vs GT LIVE SCORE: Siraj just misses the stumps

Mohammed Siraj comes close to wicket as Venkatesh Iyer makes an early move across the stumps. Anticipating the shuffle, Siraj targets the stumps and narrowly misses leg stump. Iyer survives, but it is a close call. Five runs come off the over.

RCB: 5/0 (1)

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: Can GT bowlers defend the total?

Sub-160 totals have been defended four times in the IPL finals previously, thrice by MI (2013, 2017 and 2019) and once by Deccan Chargers (2009).

RCB vs GT LIVE SCORE: Chase begins

Virat Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer come out to open the innings for RCB in chase. While Titans would hope to strike upfront to put some pressure on the defending champions in the final.

Mohammed Siraj begins attack with the new ball. One slip in place.

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: End of GT innings

Washington Sundar hits a fine fifty (50 off 37) as Gujarat Titans finish at 155/8 in 20 overs.

RCB vs GT LIVE SCORE: WICKET! Rashid Khan is gone

Rasikh Salam Dar continues to trouble the lower order with another short delivery. Rashid Khan backs away and looks to pull, but fails to connect cleanly. The ball takes the top edge and travels towards deep backward square leg, where Romario Shepherd settles under it and completes a comfortable catch. Rashid's brief stay ends with 7 runs from 3 balls.

RCB vs GT LIVE SCORE: Rashid Khan begins last over with a SIX!

Raikh Dar comes to bowl the last over of the innings and Rashid Khan hits a huge six straight down the ground on the first ball.

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: WICKET! Bhuvneshwar Kumar strikes

Bhuvneshwar Kumar strikes at a crucial moment and sends Jason Holder back to pavilion just when Gujarat Titans were looking to accelerate. Bhuvi bowls a short-pitched delivery, Holder tries to pull it but the top-edge goes straight to short third-man and Hazlewood catches it with ease.

GT: 145/7 (19)

RCB vs GT LIVE SCORE: Big over for Titans

Josh Hazlewood comes to bowl last over of his spell and Titans made their intent clear to accelerate. Washington Sundar begins the over with a four over the keeper's head. Jason Holder hits another four two balls later through deep mid-wicket and follows it up with one more four on the last ball.

16 runs come off the over.

GT: 137/6 (18)

IPL 2026 FINAL Live: WICKET! Tewatia falls cheaply

Rasikh Salam Dar picks up another wicket as Rahul Tewatia's attempt to clear the field does not come off. Facing a slower delivery outside off, Tewatia goes for a big slog but fails to middle the ball. The mistimed shot goes high towards mid-on, where Rajat Patidar completes a safe catch. Tewatia's stay ends with 7 runs from 5 balls.

GT: 121/6 (17)