RCB Clinches Second Consecutive IPL Title Under Rajat Patidar's Leadership
RCB Triumphs in IPL 2026 Final
Rajat Patidar, the captain of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), expressed his joy after leading the team to their second consecutive Indian Premier League (IPL) championship. RCB secured the title by defeating the Gujarat Titans (GT) by five wickets during the final match held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
With this victory, RCB joins the ranks of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) as the only teams to successfully defend their IPL title. After limiting GT to a score of 155/8 in their innings, RCB chased down the target with five wickets in hand and two overs to spare.
Patidar's Reflections on the Victory
In his post-match comments, Patidar described the win as 'superb' and credited the team's strategic planning. He noted that winning the toss and opting to chase was advantageous. He also praised the consistent efforts of the bowling lineup, which included Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam Dar, Krunal Pandya, Suyash Sharma, and Romario Shepherd. Their performance was pivotal in RCB's success this season, with Bhuvneshwar taking 28 wickets, Rasikh claiming 19, and Hazlewood contributing 15 wickets.
Patidar shared that captaining RCB and lifting the trophy was a dream come true. He acknowledged the support from fans and the guidance from batting coach Dinesh Karthik, emphasizing Virat Kohli's ongoing presence as a source of motivation for the team.
Final Match Overview
In the final match, GT batted first and managed to score only 155 runs for 8 wickets in their 20 overs. Washington Sundar was the standout performer with the bat, scoring 50 runs off 37 balls, while Nishant Sindhu added 20 runs. RCB's bowlers, particularly Rasikh Dar Salam (3/27), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/29), and Josh Hazlewood (2/37), consistently took wickets.
RCB's innings began strongly with a partnership of 62 runs between Venkatesh Iyer (32 runs off 16 balls) and Virat Kohli. Although GT fought back and reduced RCB to 132/5, Kohli's unbeaten 75 runs off 42 balls led RCB to victory with two overs remaining. This win marks RCB's second IPL title and their fourth overall in Indian franchise cricket, which includes two Women's Premier League (WPL) titles.