<p>It was <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/rcb">RCB's</a> legend Virat Kohli who finished the match off in style as Royal Challengers Bengaluru defended their <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/ipl">IPL title</a> successfully. The veteran finished unbeaten on 75 runs off just 42 balls to master another chase.</p><p>After going 17 years without a trophy, Royal Challengers Bengaluru now are only the third team with back-to-back IPL titles as they thrashed Gujarat Titans by five wickets with 12 balls to spare in the IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. </p><p>Everything from the toss went the right way for Rajat Patidar's men on the big day. Josh Hazlewood provided an early breakthrough in the form of skipper Shubman Gill. Bhuvneshwar Kumar followed it up with a superb bouncer to get Sai Sudharsan's wicket.</p>.IPL 2026 Finals | Bengaluru traffic police issue advisory banning flyover traffic as city prepares for possible RCB win.<p>It was Nishant Sindhu, who was promoted to No. 3 and Jos Buttler who tried to rebuild the innings but RCB tightened the screws as the boundaries dried post the Powerplay. In an attempt to up the scoring rate, Sindhu holed out to Rasikh Dar as GT slumped further. </p><p>Krunal Pandya accounted for Buttler as the veteran tried to free himself up but ended up being stumped. </p><p>Washington Sundar played a lone battle of an unbeaten half-century even as he continued to lose partners at the other end. His knock came off 37 balls, including five fours. </p><p>So disciplined was RCB's bowling that the first six was conceded only in the 12th over when Arshad Khan slammed a couple of them. </p><p>For RCB, Rasikh Dar starred with a sensational spell of 3/27 in four overs, while experienced pace duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood grabbed two wickets each. Krunal Pandya finished with miserly figures of 1/23 as GT struggled their way to 155/8 in 20 overs. </p><p>Chasing the middling total, Venkatesh Iyer and Virat Kohli got off to a blazing start, reaching 55 in the first four overs. The opening pairs hit boundaries at will to put early pressure on GT. </p><p>However, Mohammed Siraj broke the partnership as Iyer was dismissed for 32 runs off 16 balls, including four fours and two sixes. Kagiso Rabada struck immediately in the next over as Devdutt Padikkal's wicket also ensured the Purple Cap to the South African pacer as he overtook Kumar's tally of 28 wickets in the season. </p><p>Rashid Khan struck twice in an over as RCB stared at a mini-collapse. The Afghan spinner accounted for skipper Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya. </p><p>However, Kohli forged an important partnership with Tim David, who scored 24 runs off 17 balls, including three fours and a six. The former Indian captain himself raced to a half-century off just 25 balls -- his fastest in IPL -- to see his team through to the second IPL title. </p>
<p>It was <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/rcb">RCB's</a> legend Virat Kohli who finished the match off in style as Royal Challengers Bengaluru defended their <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/ipl">IPL title</a> successfully. The veteran finished unbeaten on 75 runs off just 42 balls to master another chase.</p><p>After going 17 years without a trophy, Royal Challengers Bengaluru now are only the third team with back-to-back IPL titles as they thrashed Gujarat Titans by five wickets with 12 balls to spare in the IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. </p><p>Everything from the toss went the right way for Rajat Patidar's men on the big day. Josh Hazlewood provided an early breakthrough in the form of skipper Shubman Gill. Bhuvneshwar Kumar followed it up with a superb bouncer to get Sai Sudharsan's wicket.</p>.IPL 2026 Finals | Bengaluru traffic police issue advisory banning flyover traffic as city prepares for possible RCB win.<p>It was Nishant Sindhu, who was promoted to No. 3 and Jos Buttler who tried to rebuild the innings but RCB tightened the screws as the boundaries dried post the Powerplay. In an attempt to up the scoring rate, Sindhu holed out to Rasikh Dar as GT slumped further. </p><p>Krunal Pandya accounted for Buttler as the veteran tried to free himself up but ended up being stumped. </p><p>Washington Sundar played a lone battle of an unbeaten half-century even as he continued to lose partners at the other end. His knock came off 37 balls, including five fours. </p><p>So disciplined was RCB's bowling that the first six was conceded only in the 12th over when Arshad Khan slammed a couple of them. </p><p>For RCB, Rasikh Dar starred with a sensational spell of 3/27 in four overs, while experienced pace duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood grabbed two wickets each. Krunal Pandya finished with miserly figures of 1/23 as GT struggled their way to 155/8 in 20 overs. </p><p>Chasing the middling total, Venkatesh Iyer and Virat Kohli got off to a blazing start, reaching 55 in the first four overs. The opening pairs hit boundaries at will to put early pressure on GT. </p><p>However, Mohammed Siraj broke the partnership as Iyer was dismissed for 32 runs off 16 balls, including four fours and two sixes. Kagiso Rabada struck immediately in the next over as Devdutt Padikkal's wicket also ensured the Purple Cap to the South African pacer as he overtook Kumar's tally of 28 wickets in the season. </p><p>Rashid Khan struck twice in an over as RCB stared at a mini-collapse. The Afghan spinner accounted for skipper Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya. </p><p>However, Kohli forged an important partnership with Tim David, who scored 24 runs off 17 balls, including three fours and a six. The former Indian captain himself raced to a half-century off just 25 balls -- his fastest in IPL -- to see his team through to the second IPL title. </p>
