RCB vs GT Highlights, IPL 2026 Qualifier 1: RCB qualify for final with dominating 92-run win over GT

RCB have stormed into the IPL 2026 final after a dominant win over GT in Qualifier 1 at Dharamsala on Tuesday. RCB will now head to Ahmedabad for the final on May 31 and enjoy a four-day break before the title clash. Meanwhile, GT still remain alive in the tournament and will get one more chance to qualify for the final when they face the winner of the Eliminator between Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 2 on May 29 in New Chandigarh.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru have officially booked their place in the IPL 2026 final after crushing Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 by 92 runs. Krunal Pandya picked up the final wicket as Mohammed Siraj was brilliantly caught by Tim David, sealing a dominant victory for RCB after their record-breaking total of 254/5 in Dharamsala.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has ended Rahul Tewatia’s fighting knock and moved back to the top of the wicket-taking charts in IPL 2026. Tewatia smashed 68 off 43 balls before mistiming a shot to captain Rajat Patidar. RCB are closing in on a massive win and reaching the final.

Rahul Tewatia has reached a brave half-century for GT in an otherwise disappointing chase against RCB. Tewatia completed his fifty with a superb boundary off Josh Hazlewood and continued to find a few more runs, but GT still need an impossible 112 runs from just 18 balls.

Rahul Tewatia continues to fight a lone battle for GT with some late hitting against Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Tewatia smashed a four and a six to move to 48, but GT still need a massive 121 runs from the last 24 balls. RCB remain on course for a dominant win and a direct place in the IPL 2026 final.

Krunal Pandya continues to tighten the screws with another brilliant over that gave away just two runs. Mohammed Siraj is struggling to score and even resorted to playing defensive shots. GT now need an impossible 132 runs from the final 30 balls, with Rahul Tewatia putting up some fight.

Rahul Tewatia is trying to reduce the margin of defeat for Gujarat Titans with some clean hitting against Josh Hazlewood. Tewatia smashed two fours and a six in the over as GT moved to 121/8 after 14 overs. They still need a massive 134 runs from just 36 balls in an almost impossible chase.

Rahul Tewatia is showing some late resistance for GT with an aggressive over against Romario Shepherd. Tewatia smashed two fours and a massive six as GT collected 15 runs from the over, but they still need a near-impossible 148 runs from 42 balls with only two wickets remaining.

RCB are just two wickets away from sealing a dominant win after Krunal Pandya dismissed Kagiso Rabada for 9. Rabada started the over aggressively with a powerful boundary but Krunal responded immediately as Virat Kohli completed the catch to leave GT in complete shambles.

Gujarat Titans are falling apart in the massive chase of 255 after Jacob Duffy dismissed Rashid Khan for 8. RCB are now just three wickets away from a victory and reaching their second final in as many seasons. GT will get a second shot at the final berth in Qualifier 2, and that’s the advantage of finishing the league phase in the top 2.

Gujarat Titans are struggling badly in the massive 255-run chase as they crawl to 70/6 at the halfway mark against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Krunal Pandya delivered a tidy over conceding just four runs. GT now need an almost impossible 185 runs from the final 60 balls.

Gujarat Titans are in deep trouble at 65/6 after Jacob Duffy dismissed Washington Sundar for 8 off 8 in the ninth over. Sundar attempted a ramp shot but only managed to find Josh Hazlewood at third man. GT now need 190 runs from 70 balls, and are all but out of the chase with their entire top-order collapsing early.

As RCB dominate GT in Qualifier 1, AB de Villiers talked in the comm box about his sensational knock in the IPL 2016 Qualifier 1. Exactly 10 years ago, the RCB legend played one of the greatest playoff knocks in IPL history to help RCB reach the final, and it came against a Gujarat team (now defunct Gujarat Lions). RCB, however, lost the final to David Warner’s Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru are in full control after Rasikh Salam dismissed Jason Holder for a duck to leave Gujarat Titans reeling at 51/5 after 6 overs in the massive 255-run chase. RCB now appear favourites to win this Qualifier 1 and reach the final of IPL 2026.

Nishant Sindhu perishes for 5 after Rasikh Salam Dar completes a fine catch off his own bowling, resulting in the Titans losing their top-four with a little over 50 on the board. Unless one of the remaining batters is able to play a blinder from here. RCB are well on their way towards a second consecutive IPL final! GT 51/4 in 5.1; target: 255

Jos Buttler assumes charge after Sudharsan and Gill’s early dismissals, and helps GT race past 50 inside five overs after smashing Josh Hazlewood for a six and two fours in consecutive deliveries in the Aussie pacer’s first over. The Englishman, who was in horror form during the T20 World Cup but is back at his lethal best, drills the ball down the ground in the second delivery before muscling the ball over long on next ball. He then manufactures room after advancing down the pitch and drives the ball through extra cover.

Hazlewood, however, has the last laugh as he foxes the keeper-batter with a slower delivery that rattles the off stump! And the manner in which the Australian celebrates tells you just how cathartic the wicket was after getting carted all over the park. GT 51/3 in 4.5; target: 255

The Titans suffer two major setbacks in as many overs, with Shubman Gill departing for 2 shortly after opening partner Sai Sudharsan’s bizarre dismissal. Bhuvneshwar angles the ball into the right-hander, and Gill ends up missing it while going for a big heave across the line. Jos Buttler had smashed Duffy for a four and a six in consecutive deliveries in the previous over to rekindle GT’s hopes, only for Gill’s dismissal to deflate the Titans camp once again! GT 27/2 in 3.1; target: 255

Duffy begins his second over with a dot but is stuck for a four in the second delivery. Sudharsan would have made it back-to-back fours had it not been for his bat slipping out of his grasp and rebounding towards the stumps, disloding the bails in the process. The current Orange Cap holder walks off with a dejected look on his face as GT suffer an early setback. GT 17/1 in 2.3; target: 255

Bhuvi has been outstanding in the powerplay in the ongoing season and begins his spell with a two-run over today, which includes a wide down the leg side to Sudharsan. It’s just the second over, but when chasing 255, such overs can make a massive difference. GT 13/0 after 2; target: 255

Sudharsan clips a full delivery bowled along the pad past mid on to open his team’s account with a boundary first ball. Makes it back-to-back fours next up with a punch through the cover region. Duffy, however, makes a decent comeback later in the over, conceding just three in the remaining deliveries. RCB, meanwhile, burn a review early in the chase after an unsuccessful caught-behind appeal against Gill, but the ball is found to be brushing his leg while going down the leg stump. GT 11/0 after 1; target: 255

Jacob Duffy gears up to bowl the first over. Sai and Shubman Gill are the leading run-scorers this season, and will have a massive role to play if GT are to pull off a record chase tonight in Dharamsala.

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru have won each of the six games in which Kohli scored 40 or more runs this season. With the ‘King’ scoring 43 off 25 today and RCB posting a record score, it could be seven-in-seven today…

The highest target successfully chased in IPL playoffs is 204 – by Punjab Kings against Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 last year. The only other time a target of 200 or more was chased was back in the 2014 final, in which Kolkata Knight Riders chased down 200 with three wickets and as many balls to spare against PBKS.

GT, thus, will have to set a new record if they are to gain direct entry into the final tonight.

Rajat Patidar was batting on 20 off 12 deliveries when he was handed a lifeline off Prasidh Krishna’s bowling, with Kagiso Rabada spilling a chance at deep midwicket after a mistimed pull by the RCB captain.

Patidar would then go on to collect 73 runs in the next 21 deliveries, bringing up a 21-ball half-century along the way and propelling RCB to the highest total in the history of IPL playoffs.

The Purple Cap is with Kagiso Rabada now after the Gujarat Titans pacer collects two wickets to take his season tally to 26. RCB’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar, however, could snatch the top spot back from the South African later this evening, depending on how he fares during GT’s chase.

The picturesque venue is hosting its final game of the ongoing IPL season, with a special violin performance and laser show taking place in the innings break.

Here’s how RCB fared in the three phases of their innings:

Powerplay: (Overs 1-6): 76/1

Middle Overs (Overs 7-16): 113/2

Death Overs (Overs 17-20): 65/1

RCB, meanwhile, were 140/3 in 14 overs and plundered 114 runs in their last six overs, thanks to Patidar’s heroics.

Rajat Patidar moves into the 90s after smashing Prasidh, who is entrusted with the final over, for two sixes in the first four deliveries – clearing deep backward square and the straight boundary. Patidar, however, misses out on a century, getting off strike with a single in the penultimate delivery. Jitesh then collects a brace in the final ball as the Royal Challengers Bengaluru post a mammoth 254/5 after being invited to bat by Gujarat Titans!

This is now the highest score in the history of IPL playoffs, going past the 233/3 that GT had managed against Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 back in 2023.

RCB have lost a couple of wickets in the death overs, but just have not allowed GT to capitalise on a breakthrough. Siraj returns to the attack in the penultimate over and Patidar welcomes him back with a six and a four, clearing deep backward point off a full toss in the first delivery. Keeper-batter Jitesh Sharma is off the blocks right away as well, also collecting a six and a four in successive deliveries towards the end of the over – clearing the wide long on fence in the final delivery. 95 runs have been plundered in the last five overs! Can GT finish on a tidy note?

Tim David hardly makes an impact in Qualifier 1, collecting four runs in as many deliveries before getting castled in the final delivery of Prasidh’s third over, missing the ball completely after swinging his bat across the line. Bengaluru, however, will back themselves to cross the 240-mark from here with Patidar still on strike. RCB 214/5 in 18