31/05/2026
The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad witnessed another historic night as Royal Challengers Bengaluru successfully defended their IPL title in the 2026 Final. After winning the toss, RCB chose to bowl first and immediately put Gujarat Titans under pressure. GT captain Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan fell cheaply, leaving the Titans struggling early. Nishant Sindhu and Jos Buttler tried to rebuild the innings but could not accelerate against RCB’s disciplined bowling attack. Washington Sundar stood tall with a brilliant unbeaten 50 from 37 balls, guiding GT to 155/8 in 20 overs. Rasikh Salam Dar starred with the ball, claiming three crucial wickets, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood picked up two each.
Chasing 156, RCB got off to a flying start thanks to Venkatesh Iyer’s explosive 32 off just 16 deliveries. Despite losing a few wickets in the middle overs, Virat Kohli anchored the chase with a masterclass in pressure cricket. The legendary batter remained unbeaten on 75 from only 42 balls, smashing nine fours and three sixes. Rajat Patidar and Tim David provided valuable support to keep the required rate under control. Rashid Khan briefly raised Gujarat’s hopes with two wickets, but Kohli remained calm and composed. Jitesh Sharma stayed with his senior partner until the finish as RCB reached 161/5 in just 18 overs. The five-wicket victory sealed back-to-back IPL championships for Bengaluru. Virat Kohli’s unbeaten knock will be remembered as one of the greatest title-winning innings in IPL Final history.
World Cricket Championship
