Dharamshala witnessed a batting masterclass of historic proportions as Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured a direct ticket to the IPL 2026 Grand Final. Led by a blistering, unbeaten 93 from skipper Rajat Patidar, RCB steamrolled Gujarat Titans by 92 runs in Qualifier 1.
Batting first under the lights at the picturesque Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, RCB posted a mammoth 254/5 on the board. The Titans' bowlers had no answers to Patidar's raw power and range, as he reached his 93 off just 33 deliveries. Gujarat's chase fell apart early under pressure, resulting in them being bowled out for a modest 162 in the 18th over.
The Rajat Patidar Show
Coming in at the fall of the first wicket, Patidar took control of the match from his very first ball. He targeted the spin-heavy middle overs of Rashid Khan and Sai Kishore, launching them repeatedly over the midwicket boundary. His innings included 8 towering sixes and 7 boundaries, striking at a sensational rate of 281.8.
Supported by a brisk 45 from Virat Kohli at the top and a late-overs cameo of 31* from Tim David, RCB registered their highest score of the season. Gujarat's Kagiso Rabada took a couple of wickets but was expensive, leaking 48 runs in his four overs.
Titans' Chase Crumbles
Faced with a record run-chase, GT needed a explosive start. However, RCB's swing duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood kept things extremely tight. Bhuvneshwar dismissed Sai Sudharsan in the second over, while Hazlewood got the massive wicket of Shubman Gill for just 14.
Despite a fighting 48 from Jos Buttler, the asking rate quickly climbed out of reach. Nuwan Thushara and Yash Dayal picked up three wickets each in the middle and death overs, dismantling the lower order. The Titans eventually collapsed to 162 all out, sending RCB straight to the final in Ahmedabad.
"It was one of those days where everything clicked. The ball was coming on nicely, and I just trusted my swings. Credit to the bowlers for defending this so clinically." — Rajat Patidar, RCB Captain & Player of the Match
RCB now awaits the winner of Qualifier 2 to play in the grand final on May 31, while Gujarat Titans will have another bite at the cherry when they head to Chandigarh to play in Qualifier 2.