Royal Challengers Bangalore has become the first finalist of IPL 2026 by defeating Gujarat Titans in Qualifier-1. The hero of this victory was captain Rajat Patidar, who played a stormy innings and took RCB’s score to 254. Before this, Virat Kohli played an important inning of 43 runs, Krunal Pandya also scored 43 runs. Chasing the target, GT was reduced to 162 runs and Bengaluru won the match by 92 runs.

In the Qualifier-1 played in Dharamshala, Shubman Gill won the toss and decided to bowl first. Venkatesh Iyer and Virat Kohli started the innings for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Iyer scored 19 runs in 7 balls and Kohli scored 43 runs in 25 balls. Devdutt Padikkal scored 30 runs. Captain Rajat Patidar scored unbeaten 93 runs in 33 balls at a strike rate of 281.82. He along with Krunal Pandya made a partnership of 95 runs for the fourth wicket.

114 runs scored in the last 6 overs

Royal Challengers Bangalore’s score was 140 runs in 14 overs, from here it seemed that the team would reach 210 but Rajat Patidar’s stormy innings took the score to 254. Rajat hit 9 sixes and 5 fours in his unbeaten innings of 93 runs in 33 balls. RCB scored 114 runs in the last 6 overs.

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Highest total of IPL playoff

The captain’s innings took Royal Challengers Bangalore’s score to 254, which has now become the highest total of playoffs in IPL history. This score also gave RCB the biggest win (on the basis of runs) of the playoffs in IPL.

While chasing the target, the top order batsmen of Gujarat Titans performed disappointingly. Sai Sudarshan was playing well, but on one ball the bat left his hand and hit the wicket. After this, Shubman Gill (2) was bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Jos Buttler batted stormily, but Josh Hazlewood bowled him and ended his innings. Butler scored 29 runs in 11 balls with the help of 2 sixes and 4 fours.

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Nishant Sindhu (5), Washington Sundar (8), Jason Holder (0) were out cheaply. Rahul Tewatia, who came as an impact player, scored 68 runs in 43 balls with the help of 4 sixes and 8 fours, although this was not enough to win. Gujarat Titans were all out for 162 runs in 19.3 overs. Royal Challengers Bangalore won this match by 92 runs, which is the biggest win of the playoff on the basis of runs.