RCB vs GT IPL 2026 Final: Full Scorecard as Royal Challengers Bengaluru Defend Title in Style

The RCB vs GT IPL 2026 final lived up to every expectation. On May 31 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Royal Challengers Bengaluru chased down 156 and posted 161 for 5 to beat Gujarat Titans by five wickets with 12 balls to spare. Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 75 off 42 balls anchored the chase and earned him Player of the Match honors. RCB lifted the trophy for the second straight year.

RCB won the toss and chose to bowl first. Their seamers struck early and often. GT never found rhythm. Washington Sundar’s 50 kept them in the hunt, but 155 for 8 proved 11 runs short.

GT Innings: 155/8 in 20 Overs (RR: 7.75)

Extras: (lb 1, w 4) 5
Fall of wickets: 22 (Gill, 2.2 ov), 26 (Sudharsan, 3.4 ov), 55 (Sindhu, 7.6 ov), 73 (Buttler, 12.1 ov), 99 (Arshad, 14.1 ov), 115 (Tewatia, 16.1 ov), 142 (Holder, 18.3 ov), 151 (Rashid, 19.2 ov)

RCB’s new-ball attack set the tone. Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar removed both openers inside the powerplay. Rasikh Salam claimed three crucial wickets in the middle and death overs, including a sharp catch off Rashid. GT’s middle order managed only brief resistance. Sundar’s fifty came too late to shift momentum.

RCB Bowling Highlights vs GT

• Rasikh Salam: 4-0-27-3
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar: 4-0-29-2
• Josh Hazlewood: 4-0-37-2
• Krunal Pandya: 4-0-23-1
• Mohammed Siraj: 4-0-36-1

RCB Chase: 161/5 in 18 Overs (RR: 8.94)

Extras: (lb 1, w 1) 2
Fall of wickets: 62 (Iyer, 4.3 ov), 63 (Padikkal, 5.1 ov), 89 (Patidar, 8.2 ov), 91 (Krunal, 8.5 ov), 132 (David, 13.6 ov)

RCB lost early wickets but never panicked. Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer added 62 in the powerplay. Kohli then took control. He reached his fifty off 25 balls and finished with nine fours and three sixes. Tim David provided late acceleration before Jitesh Sharma stayed calm at the end. The winning runs came in the 18th over.

GT Bowling vs RCB

• Rasikh Salam (GT): 4-0-27-3
• Jacob Duffy: 4-0-38-0
• Josh Hazlewood (GT): 4-0-37-2
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar (GT): 4-0-29-2
• Krunal Pandya (GT): 4-0-23-1

You could almost feel the tension in the air when the crowd held its breath on every Kohli boundary. The stadium shook when the final runs were hit. RCB fans turned the stands into a sea of red and gold, chanting “Ee Sala Cup Namdu” long after the presentation. For Kohli, the knock added another chapter to his legacy on the biggest night of the season. Captain Rajat Patidar joined an elite list of back-to-back title-winning skippers.

RCB’s strategy was clear and executed perfectly. They attacked with the new ball, used spin smartly in the middle, and let their best batter dictate the chase. GT fought hard but lacked the finishing kick. Sundar’s knock and Arshad Khan’s sixes offered hope, yet the target always felt a touch high once early wickets fell.

This RCB vs GT IPL 2026 final will be remembered for Kohli’s calm authority and RCB’s clinical bowling display. The franchise now stands alongside Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians as only the third team to win consecutive IPL titles.