Royal Challengers Bengaluru did something on Sunday night in Ahmedabad that very few franchises have managed in IPL history. They defended their title. A five-wicket victory over the Gujarat Titans means RCB has back-to-back IPL championships, joining Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians as the only franchises to have achieved the feat. For a club that spent years searching for their first title, this is a genuinely remarkable moment. And at the center of it, as has so often been the case throughout this season, was Virat Kohli.
RCB Bowlers Set the Foundation for Victory
Winning the toss and choosing to field, RCB’s bowlers set about their work with the kind of collective precision that has defined their season. Gujarat never found their rhythm.
There was an early twist when Sai Sudharsan was given out caught behind, only for DRS to overturn the decision. It gave GT brief hope, but the reprieve didn’t last long. Shubman Gill, who had been one of the standout batters of IPL 2026, was caught by Rajat Patidar off Josh Hazlewood inside the powerplay. Bhuvneshwar Kumar then removed Sudharsan, and suddenly Gujarat were without both openers with very little on the board.
Gujarat Titans Struggle Against Disciplined Attack
The middle overs became a grinding exercise for Gujarat. Nishant Sindhu and Jos Buttler tried to rebuild, but the required scoring rate kept climbing as RCB’s bowlers refused to give anything away.
Rasikh Salam was outstanding. The young pacer removed Sindhu for 20 and maintained consistent pressure throughout, finishing with figures of 3 for 27. Buttler, who had contributed so much during the season, was stumped smartly by Jitesh Sharma off Krunal Pandya — 73 for 4, and the match was slipping away from Gujarat.
Arshad Khan attempted a brief counterattack, but Hazlewood ended it quickly. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Hazlewood both finished with two wickets each. The bowling unit was organized and relentless in a way that made individual brilliance from GT almost impossible to sustain.
Washington Sundar Fights Lone Battle
Washington Sundar deserves credit for what he produced in the circumstances. An unbeaten 50 off 37 balls when wickets kept tumbling around him was a mature and determined knock. He helped GT reach 155 for 8 — a respectable total, but one that always felt below par on a pitch that historically favors batting at this ground.
Virat Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer Provide Flying Start
Chasing 156, RCB came out swinging. Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer went after Kagiso Rabada immediately — one of the most dangerous bowlers in world cricket — and took 37 runs off his first two overs. The game felt like it was being settled before it had properly started.
Venkatesh Iyer’s 32 off 16 balls was exactly the kind of cameo that makes chases manageable — aggressive enough to keep the scoreboard moving, controlled enough not to throw the match away. Mohammed Siraj’s dismissal of Iyer and Rabada’s removal of Devdutt Padikkal gave Gujarat a small window.
Rashid Khan Sparks Brief Comeback
Gujarat took that window and pushed through it. Rashid Khan dismissed Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya in four deliveries, reducing RCB to 91 for 4. For the first time in the final, the result felt genuinely uncertain.
Kohli didn’t panic. He rotated strike, punished anything loose, and kept the required rate manageable. His fifty came off just 25 balls — the fastest IPL half-century of his career — which told you everything about his state of mind during those middle overs.
Kohli Finishes the Job in Style
Tim David’s partnership with Kohli effectively ended the contest. The pair added 41 runs together, and even after David’s dismissal, the target was well within reach. Kohli remained completely composed throughout.
He finished unbeaten on 75 off 42 deliveries — nine fours and three sixes — and sealed the championship with a six over long-on in the 18th over. The ground erupted. The players erupted. RCB had done it again.
Two titles in two years. Back-to-back champions. For everything Royal Challengers Bengaluru have been through across the years, for every near-miss and disappointing season, Sunday night at Ahmedabad was the night that changed the story for good.