Dharamsala: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) triumphed over Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 held at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala. Batting first, Venkatesh Iyer laid an early foundation for the defending champions but fell short of momentum, scoring just 19 runs. However, Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal capitalized on the powerplay, forging a partnership of 72 runs.
Following the powerplay, RCB encountered a setback when Jason Holder struck twice in quick succession, temporarily revitalizing Gujarat’s hopes. Nevertheless, Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya took control, pushing the Shubman Gill-led side further back. Pandya contributed with a notable 43 runs off 28 balls, before Patidar unleashed a remarkable innings, scoring an unbeaten 93 runs off just 33 balls. His performance not only showcased his potential for the national T20I squad but also underscored his outstanding season.
Thanks to Patidar’s explosive batting, Bengaluru posted a staggering total of 254 runs, marking the highest score in IPL playoff history. They also registered a record of 38 boundaries, the most ever recorded in playoffs.
In response, RCB’s pacers wreaked havoc on GT’s batting lineup from the outset. The team, captained by Gill, experienced a collapse, losing wickets at regular intervals and ultimately recording the second-largest defeat in IPL playoff history. The pressure was immense on Gill, his opening partner Sai Sudharsan, and wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler, all of whom struggled to build any momentum. Sudharsan fell victim to an unfortunate dismissal in the third over, while Gill and Buttler made contributions of only 2 and 29 runs, respectively. Following their dismissals, Gujarat lost two more wickets, with Nishant Sindhu and Holder both departing, resulting in five wickets lost for just 51 runs during the powerplay.
Even after the powerplay, Gujarat continued to falter, ultimately bowled out for a mere 162 runs. This resulted in a significant 92-run loss, forcing them to face the winner of the Sunrisers Hyderabad versus Rajasthan Royals match in Qualifier 2. Conversely, RCB advanced to the finals. Notably, Rahul Tewatia finished with a commendable 68 runs off 43 balls, although his efforts were insufficient to avert the considerable defeat for Gujarat.
