RCB defend IPL title as Kohli's blazing fifty seals five-wicket win over GT

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) became only the third team in Indian Premier League (IPL) history to successfully defend their title, defeating Gujarat Titans (GT) by five wickets in the IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

Virat Kohli produced an unbeaten 75 off 42 balls and brought up the fastest fifty of his IPL career as RCB chased down 156 in 18 overs to secure back-to-back titles. The triumph placed RCB alongside Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians as the only franchises to have retained the IPL crown.

Kohli anchors commanding chase

The chase reflected the confidence and consistency that had marked RCB's campaign from the start of the season. While GT struggled for momentum throughout their innings, Bengaluru approached the target with clarity and aggression.

Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer set the tone with a blistering opening stand of 62 runs in just 4.3 overs. The veteran batter took particular liking to Kagiso Rabada, striking him for a sequence of boundaries and a six as RCB raced ahead in the Power Play.

Despite losing Iyer, Devdutt Padikkal, captain Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya in quick succession, RCB never appeared under serious pressure. Kohli anchored the chase with trademark composure, reaching his fifth half-century of the season with a pull boundary off Arshad Khan.

Tim David then provided the finishing touches with a brisk 24 off 17 balls, easing the burden on Kohli. The former India captain survived a scare when Shubman Gill's catch off Arshad was ruled not out on review after the ball was found to have touched the ground.

Kohli fittingly sealed victory with a six off Arshad, sparking jubilant celebrations in the RCB camp. Patidar joined MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma as the only captains to have successfully defended an IPL title, while teammates rushed onto the field to celebrate with Kohli, who has remained the face of the franchise since 2008.

RCB bowlers restrict Titans to below-par total

Earlier, RCB's bowlers laid the foundation for the win by restricting Gujarat Titans to 155 for eight on a sluggish surface.

Batting was not straightforward on Pitch No. 6, a combination of red and black soil, and GT never managed to break free from the pressure applied by the Bengaluru attack.

Washington Sundar stood out with an unbeaten 50 off 37 balls, including five fours, but lacked support from the other end as wickets fell regularly.

GT suffered early setbacks when Josh Hazlewood dismissed captain Gill, whose attempted swat resulted in a simple catch for Patidar. Sai Sudharsan, another key contributor this season, also departed cheaply after miscuing a pull shot off Bhuvneshwar Kumar to wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma.

With their two leading run-scorers back in the pavilion, GT limped to 45 for two in the Power Play. The innings never recovered from those setbacks.

Washington's fifty offers lone resistance

Jos Buttler made 19, while Washington attempted to rebuild alongside Nishant Sindhu. However, young pacer Rasikh Salam Dhar continued his impressive campaign, returning figures of 3/27 and removing Sindhu and Rahul Tewatia to further dent GT's hopes.

The Titans' struggles were underlined by the fact that their first six came only in the 13th over. Washington's hit over midwicket briefly lifted the scoring rate, but the total remained below par.

Hazlewood (2/37), Bhuvneshwar (2/29) and Rasikh combined effectively to exploit the conditions, ensuring GT never gained the momentum required in a title clash.

The bowlers' disciplined effort and Kohli's masterclass with the bat ultimately proved decisive as RCB completed a dominant campaign with a second successive IPL trophy.