RCB joins IPL’s elite club with back-to-back titles after beating Gujarat Titans

AHMEDABAD: Seventeen years for the first one, just one more year for the second. Royal Challengers Bengaluru successfully defended their title with a commanding five-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, becoming only the third franchise in tournament history to win back-to-back championships.

The triumph places RCB alongside IPL heavyweights Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians as the only teams to successfully retain the coveted trophy.

RCB’s victory was built on a disciplined, suffocating bowling display that restricted Gujarat to a below-par 155/8 in their 20 overs. While Washington Sundar fought a lone battle to top-score with a resilient 50, the Titans struggled to build momentum after early setbacks. The primary damage was inflicted by youngster Rasikh Salam, who returned impressive figures of 3/27, while veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar and pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood chipped in with two crucial wickets apiece.

The Titans’ hopes suffered a major blow early in the evening when captain Shubman Gill and fellow opener Sai Sudharsan were both dismissed cheaply, leaving the innings in recovery mode from the outset.

In reply, RCB found themselves briefly tested when master spinner Rashid Khan struck twice around the midway stage of the chase. But big finals belong to legendary players, and this night belonged entirely to Virat Kohli.

The former RCB captain produced an absolute masterclass, smashing an unbeaten 75 off just 42 balls. Kohli peppered the boundary with nine fours and three sixes, expertly controlling the tempo of the chase. Supported by a brisk, intent-filled 32 from Venkatesh Iyer, Kohli ensured there would be no late drama as Bengaluru comfortably crossed the finish line at 161/5 with two full overs to spare.

His match-winning knock earned him a deserved Player of the Match award, adding another golden chapter to his storied association with the franchise.

Beyond the final, the IPL 2026 season belonged to Rajasthan Royals sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who swept the major individual honours. The youngster was named Most Valuable Player and Emerging Player of the Season after amassing 776 runs in 16 innings to claim the Orange Cap. He also won the Super Striker award with a remarkable strike rate of 237.30 and smashed a record 72 sixes to secure the Super Sixes accolade. Gujarat Titans pacer Kagiso Rabada finished as the Purple Cap holder with 29 wickets. Mohammed Siraj recorded the highest number of dot balls with 172, Manish Pandey earned Catch of the Season for a stunning one-handed effort for Kolkata Knight Riders, and Punjab Kings took home the Fair Play Award.

The victory also marks a historic milestone for captain Rajat Patidar. He joins an ultra-exclusive club featuring only MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma as the only captains in IPL history to lead their teams to consecutive titles.

With this second crown, RCB breaks away from the single-title tier to sit outright fourth on the all-time winners’ list, behind only Mumbai Indians (five), Chennai Super Kings (five), and Kolkata Knight Riders (three). More importantly, they have completely rewritten their narrative, transforming from perennial star-studded contenders into a genuine modern IPL dynasty.

For Gujarat, it was another painful final heartbreak after falling short in the 2023 title clash. For Bengaluru, however, the celebrations will echo long into the summer as a franchise once defined by near misses proudly cements its place among the modern greats of the game.