The big final of IPL 2026 is finally here between Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. RCB won the toss and decided to bowl first on a pitch that looked great for bowling. They wanted to put pressure on Gujarat early in this high-stakes championship match.
Gujarat Titans struggled to get going from the very first over of the match. The RCB bowlers used the new ball perfectly and did not give any easy runs to the batsmen. Gujarat finished their 20 overs with a total of 155 runs for the loss of 8 wickets.
Early Blows for Gujarat Titans
Gujarat Titans opened the batting with Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan but things did not go their way. The star captain Shubman Gill scored just 10 runs off 8 balls with two boundaries. He was caught by Rajat Patidar off a sharp delivery from Josh Hazlewood.
Soon after that, Sai Sudharsan also got out after scoring 12 runs off 12 balls. He hit two fours before giving a catch to Jitesh Sharma off Bhuvneshwar Kumar's bowling. This double blow put Gujarat Titans on the back foot very early in the powerplay.
Middle Order Fails to Build Momentum
Nishant Sindhu and Jos Buttler tried to stable the innings but the RCB bowlers kept things tight. Sindhu scored 20 runs off 18 balls with three boundaries but he could not convert it into a big score. He was dismissed by Rasikh Salam, thanks to a catch by Devdutt Padikkal.
Jos Buttler played a very unusual and slow innings according to his high standards. The wicketkeeper batsman scored 19 runs off 23 balls and hit only one boundary. He was cleverly stumped by Jitesh Sharma off the bowling of left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya.
Washington Sundar Fights Till the End
When the team was in big trouble, Washington Sundar played a brilliant and mature knock. He scored a crucial 50 runs off 37 balls and remained not out until the very end. He hit five boundaries and held one side of the crease safely for his team.
Sundar did not get much support from the other end but he kept rotating the strike. His fighting half-century is the main reason why Gujarat Titans managed to cross the 150-run mark. He showed great character under immense pressure in this massive final.
Quick Cameos and Lower Order Collapse
Azmatullah Omarzai came out with an aggressive mindset and smashed two big sixes in his short stay. He scored 15 runs in just 6 balls before getting caught by Rasikh Salam off Josh Hazlewood. His small cameo gave a temporary boost to the run rate.
Rahul Tewatia and Jason Holder both made 7 runs each from 5 balls before getting out. Rashid Khan also contributed a quick 7 runs off 3 balls with a huge six. Kagiso Rabada stayed unbeaten on 3 runs alongside Sundar as the innings came to a close.
Exceptional Bowling Performance by RCB
The bowlers of Royal Challengers Bengaluru did a fantastic job to restrict a strong batting lineup. Rasikh Salam was the pick of the bowlers as he took 3 wickets for just 27 runs in his 4 overs. He bowled beautiful slower balls in the death overs.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood also bowled brilliantly and picked up 2 wickets each. Krunal Pandya was extremely economical, conceding only 23 runs in his 4 overs and taking one wicket. Mitchell Duffy did not get a wicket but bowled with good pace.
Match Situation and Second Innings Outlook
Gujarat Titans set a target of 156 runs for Royal Challengers Bengaluru to win the IPL trophy. The pitch is clearly assisting the bowlers, so this chase will not be simple for RCB. Gujarat has a world-class bowling attack to defend this total.
On the other hand, RCB has a dangerous batting lineup that can chase this down if they play smartly. The first six overs of the powerplay will be extremely important for both teams. It is going to be an exciting second half of the grand finale.
What Do You Think?
Now it is your turn to tell us your thoughts on this exciting final! Do you think 155 runs are enough for Gujarat Titans to defend with their spin attack? Or will RCB chase this target easily and lift the IPL 2026 trophy? Drop your predictions in the comments section below!
Read Also: Click here to read our full GT vs RCB IPL Final Match Preview!
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