Ahmedabad, May 31: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) successfully defended their Indian Premier League crown, defeating Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the IPL 2026 Final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Chasing a target of 156, RCB produced a confident batting performance led by Virat Kohli, who remained unbeaten on 75 runs off 42 deliveries. His innings helped Bengaluru comfortably reach the target in 18 overs and secure their second consecutive IPL championship.
Earlier, Gujarat Titans struggled to build momentum after losing key wickets during the powerplay. Despite an unbeaten half-century from Washington Sundar, GT could only manage 155/8 in their allotted 20 overs.
RCB's bowling attack played a crucial role in restricting Gujarat. Rasikh Dar picked up three wickets, while experienced pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood claimed two wickets each to keep pressure on the Titans throughout the innings.
The victory marks another historic achievement for Bengaluru, making them one of the few franchises to successfully defend an IPL title. Having ended their long title drought in the previous season, RCB have now established themselves as one of the dominant teams in the tournament.
As the winning runs were scored, celebrations erupted among players and supporters. Thousands of fans in Bengaluru and across the country celebrated the triumph, while social media was flooded with congratulatory messages for the franchise.
For Gujarat Titans, the defeat ended an otherwise impressive campaign. Despite falling short in the final, GT once again demonstrated consistency throughout the tournament and remained among the strongest teams of the season.
The IPL 2026 season concluded with RCB lifting the trophy for a second successive year, further strengthening their place among the league's elite franchises.