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RCB's explosive performance
New Delhi: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has handed Gujarat Titans a crushing defeat by a massive margin of 92 runs in the first Qualifier match of IPL 2026.
With this resounding victory, Bengaluru has become the first team to secure a place in this season's final. Batting first in the match, RCB set a record-breaking and formidable target of 255 runs for Gujarat.
In response, the Gujarat Titans-stepping out to face the immense pressure of chasing such a monumental total—collapsed like a house of cards, with the entire team being bundled out for a mere 162 runs. Captain Rajat Patidar's fiery captain's knock of 93 runs, followed by a commanding performance from the bowlers, has delivered this historic victory to RCB.
Bengaluru Set to Defend Title on May 31st
By winning the first Qualifier, Royal Challengers Bengaluru has booked a direct ticket to the final. They will now present their strong bid for the glittering trophy on May 31st at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Captain Rajat Patidar's unbeaten innings of 93 runs laid a solid foundation for Bengaluru's victory; subsequently, almost all of Bengaluru's bowlers bowled with impeccable line and length, wreaking havoc upon the Gujarat Titans' batsmen.
A Ticket to the Final for the 5th Time in History
In the history of the IPL, this marks the fifth time overall that the Bengaluru team has reached the final. RCB has previously made the journey to the final in 2009, 2011, 2016, 2025—and now in 2026—marking their second consecutive appearance in the summit clash. RCB has now climbed to the third spot in the league's history for reaching the finals the most number of times.
In this list, only Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians rank ahead of them. Furthermore, under Patidar's captaincy, RCB has become only the third team in history to secure a spot in the final while being the defending champions. Prior to this, only Mumbai and Chennai had managed to achieve this feat.
Rajat Patidar's Batting Rampage
Captain Rajat Patidar emerged as the biggest hero of Bengaluru's massive victory. Striking shots to every corner of the ground, he played a blistering unbeaten innings of 93 runs off just 33 balls. During this explosive innings, Patidar smashed 5 magnificent fours and 9 towering sixes. Apart from him, the team's star batsman Virat Kohli contributed 43 runs, while all-rounder Krunal Pandya also made a crucial contribution of 43 runs, helping propel the score past the 250-run mark.
Gujarat's Batsmen Flop
While chasing the mammoth target, only Rahul Tewatia appeared to put up a solitary fight for the Gujarat Titans. Tewatia played an innings of 68 runs off 43 balls—his first half-century of the entire season. Opening batsman Jos Buttler scored 29 runs; however, apart from him, all other batsmen proved to be complete failures.
For RCB, Jacob Duffy dismantled Gujarat's top order within his very first spell, claiming a total of 3 wickets in the match. Meanwhile, veteran fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar also delivered a stellar performance, taking 2 wickets to his name and once again securing the 'Purple Cap' for the season.
