GT vs RCB IPL 2026 Final: Gujarat Titans Set 155 Run Target For Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Royal Challengers Bengaluru restrict Gujarat Titans to 155 for 8 in the IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, leaving the defending champions needing 156 for a second straight title. RCB’s short-ball tactic, disciplined fields and calm leadership keep the home side under constant pressure across 20 overs.

Gujarat lose Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan early, never really recovering despite a fighting unbeaten fifty from Washington Sundar. The target equals RCB’s 155 in the league match at this venue earlier in the season, a game where Gujarat chase the same score in just 15.5 overs.

IPL Final 2026: RCB vs GT bowlers dictate the powerplay

Fast bowlers from Bengaluru dominate the powerplay, setting the tone for the innings. Jacob Duffy starts with short balls but lacks control, before Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood execute the plan with far greater accuracy. By the sixth over, GT are 45 for 2, with their biggest names already back.

Shubman Gill falls in the powerplay, and the dismissal raises questions about future T20 opportunities. Gujarat then decide to hold Jos Buttler back at No.4, sending young Nishant Sindhu at No.3. Hazlewood delivers a tight opening over, giving away little and exploiting movement with back-of-length bowling.

IPL Final 2026: Short-ball strategy rattles GT top order

Sai Sudharsan endures nervy early moments, nearly losing grip of the bat again against a rising delivery. Having been dismissed hit wicket in two straight matches, Sudharsan almost repeats the mistake while defending. RCB sense the unease and keep attacking the body with pace and bounce from both ends.

The short-ball ploy quickly produces results against Sudharsan. Bhuvneshwar targets the left-hander with sharp bouncers, drawing a top edge on 12, with Jitesh Sharma completing a simple catch. Gujarat slip to 30 for 2 after four overs, their powerplay plan derailed despite earlier attempts to unsettle RCB’s new-ball pair.

Nishant Sindhu tries to steady the innings but also falls to the bouncer tactic. Rasikh Salam Dar bangs it in short, and Nishant miscues an attempted stroke towards long-on. Devdutt Padikkal judges the catch cleanly, leaving GT 59 for 3 after nine overs, with Buttler still struggling for fluency.

IPL Final 2026: RCB vs GT middle overs shaped by discipline and tactics

Bengaluru introduce spin in the seventh over, tightening the scoring further as Buttler and Sindhu struggle to rotate strike. GT crawl to 59 in the first nine overs, which is below par for a final on this surface. The loss of Gill and Sudharsan in the powerplay deepens the early damage.

During a strategic timeout, Matthew Hayden and Ashish Nehra walk to the middle to speak with Jos Buttler and Washington Sundar. Despite the chat, Gujarat remain stuck, unable to locate gaps or disrupt the lengths. The dugout appears tense as the required acceleration keeps getting delayed.

Rajat Patidar’s leadership on the field becomes a key talking point. Reporter Akshay Ramesh notes that Patidar balances control and openness with the bowlers. "Rajat Patidar is talking a lot to his bowlers. Rasikh Dar, especially. He asked him what fields he needed. He wanted the fine-leg back for Buttler. But, then after a couple of seconds, Patidar spoke to him again and the fine-leg was brought inside the circle. Quite receptive, at the same time, asserting his thoughts too."

Hazlewood follows a wicket-taking over from Bhuvneshwar with another tight spell, even after conceding a misfielded four. He shifts length slightly back, forcing Buttler and Sindhu to play from the crease. The over yields nine runs, but it could have been only five without the mistake at third man.

IPL Final 2026: Washington Sundar fights back as RCB vs GT tension builds

RCB’s short-ball plan almost removes Washington Sundar as well. Jordan Cox appears to take a fine-leg catch, and the fielding side start celebrating. However, the on-field umpire refers it upstairs, and replays show Cox grassing the ball as the fingers make contact with the turf.

Rajat Patidar reacts angrily to the decision, arguing with the umpire that Cox is in control of the catch. Patidar insists that Cox’s fingers touch the ground first and questions why that does not qualify as out. The debate adds drama, but Sundar stays, which proves vital for GT’s final total.

Buttler, who crawls to 19 off 22 balls, finally tries to break free and perishes. Krunal Pandya, not relying on the short ball this time, sends a wide, quick yorker that drags Buttler out of the crease. Jitesh Sharma executes sharp work behind the stumps, and Gujarat sink deeper.

Arshad Khan, promoted up the order, brings brief energy. Arshad smashes two sixes in five balls, targeting Krunal Pandya and Jacob Duffy. The cameo offers Gujarat a flicker of hope and injects some noise into the home crowd, who have watched the early collapse in stunned silence.

That charge also ends through another well-directed bouncer from Hazlewood. Arshad swivels into a pull but gets a big top edge instead. Rasikh Dar takes a safe catch at short third, and GT fall to 103 for 5 in 14.4 overs, with Sundar on 22 not out at that stage.

IPL Final 2026: RCB vs GT bowling figures, pitch and fan reaction

Across the attack, Bengaluru’s bowlers maintain strong economy rates. Only Jacob Duffy goes above seven runs per over, while every other bowler keeps tight lines. Planning around short balls, rotation changes and reading conditions allows Patidar’s team to control the innings length from start to finish.

The RCB bowling card reflects the success of those plans, apart from Duffy’s spell. Support staff, including Andy Flower and Dinesh Karthik, receive praise for reading the surface and opposition. The strategy, especially the repeated use of the bouncer, brings wickets at crucial moments in the middle overs.

Rasikh Salam Dar, in particular, draws attention with three wickets in the final. The young seamer removes Nishant Sindhu and plays a major role in GT’s middle-order slide. Across the season, Rasikh becomes an important contributor, and this spell under pressure strengthens that reputation among teammates and analysts.

The pitch becomes another major talking point. This surface is used for a third time, with some grass left on before the match. Shubman Gill predicts movement with the new ball at the toss, and that happens. Yet batting remains tricky even after the powerplay, as stroke-makers struggle for timing.

Rajat Patidar earlier claims the pitch should be good for batting, but it behaves slower than expected. Even Jos Buttler, known for free-flowing strokes, finds shot-making difficult. Observers estimate that 180 would be a strong score, yet Gujarat need 75 from the last five overs to reach that mark, which seems distant.

Fans react sharply to the early failures of GT’s top three, who usually carry the batting load. Social media fills with memes during the collapse, mocking the misfires from Gill, Sudharsan and Buttler. Commentators caution that the second innings might tell a different story if the pitch stays as sticky.

The mid-innings entertainment also gets attention. Dharamsala hosts a major laser and light show during Qualifier 1, and Ahmedabad responds with its own display. The performance starts well and builds atmosphere in the stadium, with organisers aiming to hold interest for the full 20-minute interval between innings.

IPL Final 2026: RCB vs GT death overs and target of 156

Heading into the 16th over, Gujarat sit at 115 for 6, with Rahul Tewatia falling as he tries to lift the run rate. Tewatia’s season draws criticism, and there is speculation this might be the final appearance for GT. The home crowd, filled with RCB supporters, grows louder after his wicket.

Jason Holder walks in late, with Gujarat needing a late assault. In the 18th over, Sundar and Holder finally take on Hazlewood, collecting three boundaries. That over produces 16 runs, the biggest of the innings, and raises faint hopes that GT might drag the total towards a more challenging figure.

However, RCB again respond quickly. Bhuvneshwar Kumar returns for his final over and continues the short-ball pattern. Holder tries a big swing, top-edges, and Josh Hazlewood takes the catch at short third. Bhuvneshwar closes with 2 for 29 from four overs, conceding only eight runs in that 19th over.

The last over belongs to Rasikh Dar, who keeps GT to 155. Washington Sundar reaches a determined fifty, while Kagiso Rabada ends on 3 not out. Despite Sundar’s resilience, Gujarat fail to inflict real damage at the death and finish on a total that appears modest for a home final.

As the innings closes, analysts argue that Gujarat should have used their knowledge of home conditions better. The batting order, starting with the decision to hold Buttler back and then promote Arshad Khan, does not yield a substantial score. GT’s collapse at key points exposes a lack of clear batting rhythm.

With 156 needed, focus now shifts to Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj and Rashid Khan, who must deliver exceptional spells to keep Gujarat in the contest. If the pitch quickens even slightly, RCB’s batting lineup could chase this comfortably, yet the slow surface may still leave GT bowlers a small opening.

By the interval, RCB’s bowlers have executed their plans almost perfectly, controlling length and exploiting bounce to dismantle the GT lineup. Washington Sundar’s 50 not out and a brief Arshad Khan burst are the few positives for Gujarat. The title now rests on whether Bengaluru’s batters can handle the same tricky surface.