<p>Defending champions <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/rcb">Royal Challengers Bengaluru</a> booked a place in the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/ipl">IPL</a> final yet again with a crushing 92-run win over the Gujarat Titans at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala on Tuesday. </p><p>RCB skipper Rajat Patidar played a blinder of a knock, hammering 93 not out off just 33 balls, which included five fours and nine sixes, after been asked to bat by counterpart Shubman Gill. </p><p>The captain walked into the middle after RCB got a fiery start from Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal even after an early wicket of Venkatesh Iyer. </p><p>After Iyer fell for a quickfire 19 runs in the second over, Kohli and Padikkal stitched a 72-run stand off just 38 balls before the former inside edged a pull shot back onto his stumps as Jason Holder broke the partnership. He had scored 43 runs off 25 balls till then. The knock included five fours and a six. He also went past the 600-run mark in the season, his third-straight with such staggering numbers. The West Indies quick removed Padikkal, who scored 30 runs, with a length ball two balls later as GT had a sniff into the game. </p>.IPL 2026 Qualifier 1: Skipper Patidar carnage lifts RCB to massive 254/5 against Gujarat Titans.<p>However, it was all RCB post that as Patidar, who started cautiously, went on a rampage. He was ably supported by Krunal Pandya, who scored 43 runs off 28 balls, including five fours and two sixes. Jitesh Sharma finished with a cameo as RCB piled up a mammoth total of 254/5. </p><p>Chasing the target, Sai Sudharsan was unlucky as his bat slipped form the gloves on an attempted cut and fell onto the stumps.</p><p>Bhuvneshwar Kumar continued his top form with the new ball with a wicket of Shubman Gill, while Josh Hazlewood accounted for the dangerous-looking Jos Buttler. </p><p>Rasikh Dar bowled a double-wicket maiden to cap-off a powerplay that saw RCB grab five wickets and close the match within six overs. </p><p>Rahul Tewatia, however, frustrated the RCB camp and got to a half-century, while stitching a 68-run partnership with Mohammed Siraj for the ninth wicket. </p><p>Tewatia scored 68 runs off 43 balls, including eight fours and four sixes. For RCB, Jacob Duffy took three wickets, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal Pandya and Rasikh Dar got two apiece. </p><p>While, RCB stormed into the final that will be played in Ahmedabad, GT head to New Chandigarh and will play the winner of Eliminator that features Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals. </p>
<p>Defending champions <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/rcb">Royal Challengers Bengaluru</a> booked a place in the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/ipl">IPL</a> final yet again with a crushing 92-run win over the Gujarat Titans at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala on Tuesday. </p><p>RCB skipper Rajat Patidar played a blinder of a knock, hammering 93 not out off just 33 balls, which included five fours and nine sixes, after been asked to bat by counterpart Shubman Gill. </p><p>The captain walked into the middle after RCB got a fiery start from Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal even after an early wicket of Venkatesh Iyer. </p><p>After Iyer fell for a quickfire 19 runs in the second over, Kohli and Padikkal stitched a 72-run stand off just 38 balls before the former inside edged a pull shot back onto his stumps as Jason Holder broke the partnership. He had scored 43 runs off 25 balls till then. The knock included five fours and a six. He also went past the 600-run mark in the season, his third-straight with such staggering numbers. The West Indies quick removed Padikkal, who scored 30 runs, with a length ball two balls later as GT had a sniff into the game. </p>.IPL 2026 Qualifier 1: Skipper Patidar carnage lifts RCB to massive 254/5 against Gujarat Titans.<p>However, it was all RCB post that as Patidar, who started cautiously, went on a rampage. He was ably supported by Krunal Pandya, who scored 43 runs off 28 balls, including five fours and two sixes. Jitesh Sharma finished with a cameo as RCB piled up a mammoth total of 254/5. </p><p>Chasing the target, Sai Sudharsan was unlucky as his bat slipped form the gloves on an attempted cut and fell onto the stumps.</p><p>Bhuvneshwar Kumar continued his top form with the new ball with a wicket of Shubman Gill, while Josh Hazlewood accounted for the dangerous-looking Jos Buttler. </p><p>Rasikh Dar bowled a double-wicket maiden to cap-off a powerplay that saw RCB grab five wickets and close the match within six overs. </p><p>Rahul Tewatia, however, frustrated the RCB camp and got to a half-century, while stitching a 68-run partnership with Mohammed Siraj for the ninth wicket. </p><p>Tewatia scored 68 runs off 43 balls, including eight fours and four sixes. For RCB, Jacob Duffy took three wickets, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal Pandya and Rasikh Dar got two apiece. </p><p>While, RCB stormed into the final that will be played in Ahmedabad, GT head to New Chandigarh and will play the winner of Eliminator that features Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals. </p>
