Last Updated on 18 seconds ago by Charbel Coorey
London buses and all that. After 17 years of disappointment, heartbreak and underachievement in equal measure despite having some of the biggest names in world cricket, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) sealed their second-straight Indian Premier League (IPL) thanks to a calculated takedown of Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedabad.
The bowlers, the bedrock of their success throughout IPL 2026, delivered once again. GT’s big three of Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler managed just 41 runs between them as Rajat Patidar’s team kept a stranglehold on GT’s lineup on a pitch expected to yield plenty of runs.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood led the way in the powerplay, helping restrict GT to just 45/2 after six overs. The middle overs belonged to RCB as well, with Jacob Duffy, three-wicket hero Raiskh Salam and now five-time IPL champion Krunal Pandya applying the squeeze. GT couldn’t counterattack, crawling to 99/4 after 14 overs by the time Hazlewood came back into the attack.
Washington Sundar survived a close call early but held his nerve to eventually get GT to 155. Low totals have been successfully defended in IPL Finals of years gone by, and with the strength of GT’s attack, they had every reason to believe at the halfway point despite what looked to be an under-par total.
However, RCB’s rapid start put them on the cusp of glory. Venkatesh Iyer was hit on the knee on the fourth ball of the innings, and quickly decided that a fast cameo was the way to go. He showed his stumps, giving himself extra room to flay the GT attack to different parts of Narendra Modi Stadium. He scored 22 runs by the time Virat Kohli faced his second ball in the third over, giving RCB the start they were after.
The Kohli soon took over. After scoring nine off four balls against Siraj, the great opener turned on the style against a rapid Kagiso Rabada in the fourth over. Rabada’s speeds touched 155km/h, but the ball travelled at an even faster race off Kohli’s bat, with the highlight a flick of the wrists sending a delivery over deep midwicket.
The opening partnership yielded 60 off 27 deliveries. To GT’s credit, they kept fighting, taking quick wickets in the next few overs to leave RCB 91/4 after nine overs. However, RCB were in control as long as Virat Kohli was there, despite a leg issue. He battled through, and in true Kohli fashion, sealed the chase to spark scenes of jubilation not only at the stadium, but right throughout Bengaluru as well.
Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar react to RCB’s second IPL title
After the win, Kohli said there wasn’t the same pressure as 2025. He revealed that he told his teammates that RCB is the best team in the competition, and it’s all about execution.
“I said to a few other boys that it doesn’t feel like the same pressure as last year. We knew what kind of ability we have in the group. We topped the table. There’s a reason we got here first, and we just said one thing: if we stick to our cricket, if we execute our plans, we are the best team in the comp, and there’s a reason why we have done well so far in the group stage. We ended up topping the league stage,” he said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
“I mean, you look at world-class bowling, like Hoff [Josh Hazlewood], Bhuv [Bhuvneshwar Kumar], Duff [Jacob Duffy], I mean, Krunal Pandya, you can bank on him as good as ever. Rasik Dar was brilliant this season. And all the batsmen chipped in as well.”
Captain Rajat Patidar, who has been outstanding with the bat and as a leader, says he has never dreamed of the achievement.
“To be honest, I never dreamed of that, to be a captain and lift a trophy for RCB. I think it was all written, and I’m grateful for it,” he said.
“Last year, there was a lot of pressure because it was the first year for us. And this year, I think we were pretty much confident because of the way we played in this tournament. Everyone was looking in a good frame of mind. It was good to see the fans who are coming wherever we go. It was like a home ground for us, so I think overall it was great for our city.”
Reactions: After 17 years of hurt, RCB go back to back
Fans and pundits were full of praise for RCB, including coach Andy Flower who has another addition to his glittering CV.
RCB now have a shot at becoming the first team to win three consecutive IPL titles. They have a settled core with a fantastic mix of batting power and bowling might. If they continue to produce this kind of cricket, they are every chance of achieving history in 2027.
