Match: IPL 2026 Qualifier 2 | Venue: HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala | Result: Royal Challengers Bengaluru won by 92 runs
Royal Challengers Bengaluru are going to the IPL 2026 Final.RCB vs GT IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 a match that will be remembered for a long time, RCB demolished Gujarat Titans by 92 runs at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala on May 26, 2026. Rajat Patidar played one of the greatest innings of this IPL season — an unbeaten 93 off just 33 balls — to power RCB to a massive 254/5. GT, chasing 255, never looked close and were bowled out for 162 in 19.3 overs.
RCB fans have waited years for this moment. Now, their team is one win away from the ultimate prize.
Toss and Match Situation
Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to bowl first at Dharamshala — a decision that looked reasonable on paper given the morning conditions. But by the end of RCB’s innings, it was clear GT had made a costly mistake.
The Dharamshala sky was clear, conditions were mild with no wind, and the pitch played true. Perfect conditions for batting — and RCB batted like a team on a mission.
RCB Batting: 254/5 in 20 Overs
RCB’s innings started steadily. Venkatesh Iyer (19 off 7 balls, SR 271) attacked from the first ball, hitting 3 fours and a six before being caught in the 2nd over off Kagiso Rabada.
Virat Kohli walked in at number one and played a composed knock of 43 runs off 25 balls (SR 172), hitting 5 fours and a six. He and Devdutt Padikkal put on 72 runs for the second wicket — a partnership that set the tone for the big total. Kohli was eventually bowled by Jason Holder in the 9th over.
Devdutt Padikkal made 30 off 19 balls before a soft dismissal ended his promising innings. But by then, Rajat Patidar had arrived — and what followed was simply breathtaking.
Rajat Patidar: 93* off 33 balls (SR 281)
Patidar walked in at number 4 when RCB were 94/3 in the 9th over. What he did next left everyone at Dharamshala speechless.
He smashed 9 sixes and 5 fours, finishing unbeaten on 93 off just 33 balls at a strike rate of 281. In the final overs, he was simply unmatchable — scoring 19 off 6 balls in one over, then 25 off 7 balls as the innings closed. His partnership with Krunal Pandya (43 off 28 balls) added 95 runs for the 4th wicket and completely broke GT’s bowling attack.
Jitesh Sharma (15 off 5 balls, including a six and a three) gave the innings a final flourish. RCB ended at 254/5 — their highest total of IPL 2026.
RCB Batting Scorecard
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venkatesh Iyer | 19 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 271 |
| Virat Kohli | 43 | 25 | 5 | 1 | 172 |
| Devdutt Padikkal | 30 | 19 | 5 | 0 | 158 |
| Rajat Patidar* | 93 | 33 | 5 | 9 | 282 |
| Krunal Pandya | 43 | 28 | 5 | 2 | 154 |
| Tim David | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 80 |
| Jitesh Sharma* | 15 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 300 |
| Extras | 7 | ||||
| Total | 254/5 | 20 overs | 24 | 14 | 12.7 RR |
GT Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jason Holder | 4 | 39 | 2 | 9.75 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 4 | 54 | 2 | 13.5 |
| Rashid Khan | 3 | 29 | 0 | 9.67 |
| Prasidh Krishna | 4 | 53 | 1 | 13.25 |
| Kulwant Khejroliya | 2 | 31 | 0 | 15.5 |
| Mohammed Siraj | 3 | 46 | 0 | 15.33 |
Even Rashid Khan, usually GT’s most economical bowler, went for 9.67 runs per over. The RCB batting was simply too powerful on the day.
GT Batting: 162 All Out in 19.3 Overs
Chasing 255 in a knockout match is never easy. But GT’s batting collapse made it impossible.
Sai Sudharsan (14 off 9 balls) gave GT an aggressive start but was dismissed hit-wicket off Jacob Duffy in the 3rd over — one of the unluckiest dismissals of the tournament. Shubman Gill, GT’s captain and their best batter, managed just 2 off 7 balls before being bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 4th over. Two key wickets gone for 27, and the run rate already climbing dangerously.
Jos Buttler played a bright cameo — 29 off 11 balls, hitting 4 fours and 2 sixes at a strike rate of 263 — but was bowled by Hazlewood in the 5th over. When Nishant Sindhu (5 runs) and Jason Holder (0 runs) were both dismissed by Rasikh Salam Dar in quick succession, GT had collapsed to 51/5 inside 6 overs. The match was effectively over.
Washington Sundar tried to rebuild with 8 runs but was caught off Jacob Duffy. Rashid Khan contributed 8 off 9 balls before another Duffy wicket ended his resistance.
The only GT batter who showed real fight was Rahul Tewatia, who played a remarkable lower-order knock of 68 off 43 balls — hitting 8 fours and 4 sixes. His innings was brave and brilliant, but it only delayed the inevitable. He was caught by Rajat Patidar off Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 19th over with GT still needing 68 runs off the last two overs.
GT were bowled out for 162 — losing by 92 runs.
GT Batting Scorecard
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sai Sudharsan | 14 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 156 |
| Shubman Gill | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| Jos Buttler | 29 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 264 |
| Nishant Sindhu | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 167 |
| Washington Sundar | 8 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 100 |
| Jason Holder | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rahul Tewatia | 68 | 43 | 8 | 4 | 158 |
| Rashid Khan | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 89 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 9 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 180 |
| Mohammed Siraj | 5 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 38 |
| Prasidh Krishna | 6 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 86 |
| Extras | 8 | ||||
| Total | 162/10 | 19.3 overs | 21 | 7 | 8.3 RR |
RCB Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacob Duffy | 4 | 39 | 3 | 9.75 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 4 | 28 | 2 | 7.0 |
| Josh Hazlewood | 4 | 39 | 1 | 9.75 |
| Rasikh Salam Dar | 3 | 24 | 2 | 8.0 |
| Krunal Pandya | 3.3 | 16 | 2 | 4.57 |
| Romario Shepherd | 1 | 15 | 0 | 15.0 |
Jacob Duffy was the standout bowler with 3 wickets, while Krunal Pandya’s figures of 2/16 off 3.3 overs were incredibly economical. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the experienced campaigner, chipped in with 2/28 including the crucial wicket of Rahul Tewatia.
Player of the Match: Rajat Patidar
There was only one name for player of the match — Rajat Patidar. His unbeaten 93 off 33 balls was not just an innings, it was a statement. In a must-win knockout game, with the IPL Final on the line, Patidar played like a man possessed. Nine sixes, a strike rate of 282, and an unbeaten knock that took RCB from a good score to an unreachable one for GT.
Patidar has been one of RCB’s most consistent batters this IPL season. But this innings, on the biggest stage, against the best bowling attack in the knockout rounds, was his masterpiece.
Key Moments of the Match
- Over 2: Kagiso Rabada takes the wicket of Venkatesh Iyer — RCB 21/1
- Over 9: Jason Holder bowls Virat Kohli — RCB 94/2, but Patidar is already in
- Overs 9–20: Patidar’s 93* transforms the innings completely
- Over 3 (GT chase): Sai Sudharsan out hit-wicket — unluckiest dismissal of the match
- Over 4: Shubman Gill bowled for 2 — GT’s chase in serious trouble
- Over 6: GT collapse to 51/5 — match effectively over
- Overs 11–18: Tewatia’s brave 68 the only GT resistance
- Over 19.3: Krunal Pandya gets the last wicket — RCB win by 92 runs
RCB in IPL 2026 Final
Royal Challengers Bengaluru are through to the IPL 2026 Final. This is a team that has come close so many times. Their fans — one of the most passionate fanbases in all of cricket — have waited for this moment for years.
The IPL 2026 Final will be played on May 31, 2026. The opponent will be known after the other qualifier result.
For Gujarat Titans, this was a heartbreaking end to what had been a strong season. Shubman Gill will be disappointed — he was dismissed for just 2 in a knockout match when his team needed him most. But they will take lessons from this and come back stronger.
Head-to-Head: RCB vs GT in IPL 2026
RCB dominated GT across all their meetings in IPL 2026. In this Qualifier 1 at Dharamshala, the margin was emphatic — 92 runs — leaving no doubt about which team deserved to go through.
Final Verdict
This was a complete team performance from Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Rajat Patidar’s 93* was the centerpiece, but the bowlers — Jacob Duffy, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rasikh Salam Dar, and Krunal Pandya — were equally clinical when it mattered. RCB defended 254 like champions and never allowed GT back into the game.
The IPL 2026 Final awaits. Bangalore is buzzing. RCB are coming.
Published: May 26, 2026 | FinBuzz India | Cricket
Match data source: IPL 2026 official records
