RCB Crush GT by 92 Runs in IPL 2026 Qualifier 1
Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Gujarat Titans by 92 runs in IPL 2026 Qualifier 1, piling up 254/5 and then blasting GT away for 162 in 19.3 overs. Rajat Patidar’s unbeaten 93 off 33 balls was the shot of the night, and it came after RCB had been shoved back briefly in the middle overs.
The result sent RCB straight into their second consecutive IPL final and made the Dharamsala knockout look one-sided on the scoreboard, even though GT had a few moments with the ball and bat. This was a playoff performance built on tempo, nerve and a captain who kept swinging hard when the pressure should have slowed him down.
How It Happened
GT won the toss and chose to bowl first, hoping for some early grip, but RCB came out with a clear message: no settling in. Venkatesh Iyer gave them a fast start with 19 off 7 before Kagiso Rabada struck, and that burst set the tone for a first innings that never really lost its speed.
Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal then took over the middle of the powerplay and kept the pressure on the Titans’ attack. RCB reached 76/1 after the powerplay, and that kind of platform meant GT were always chasing the game rather than shaping it.
Jason Holder pulled GT back with a double strike, removing Kohli for 43 off 25 and Padikkal for 30 off 19, and for a short spell it looked like the innings might flatten out. Instead, Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya ripped the match open with a 95-run stand, and Patidar’s clean hitting turned every length ball into damage.
Patidar finished unbeaten on 93 off 33, while Jitesh Sharma added a quick 15 not out off 5 to drag RCB to 254/5, the highest team total in an IPL playoff.
Read Also | SRH vs RR, Eliminator Preview: Head-to-Head, Predicted XI, Pitch Report | IPL 2026
Scorecard / Match Stats
Royal Challengers Bengaluru — Batting and Bowling
| Batter | Dismissal / Notes | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venkatesh Iyer | c Shubman Gill b Kagiso Rabada | 19 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 271.43 |
| Virat Kohli | b Jason Holder | 43 | 25 | 5 | 1 | 172.00 |
| Devdutt Padikkal | c Jos Buttler b Jason Holder | 30 | 19 | 5 | 0 | 157.89 |
| Rajat Patidar (c) | not out | 93 | 33 | 5 | 9 | 281.82 |
| Krunal Pandya | c Sai Sudharsan b Kagiso Rabada | 43 | 28 | 5 | 2 | 153.57 |
| Tim David | b Prasidh Krishna | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 80.00 |
| Jitesh Sharma (wk) | not out | 15 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 300.00 |
| Extras | (b 1, lb 1, w 3, nb 2, p 0) | 7 | ||||
| Total | 254-5 (20 Overs, RR: 12.7) | 254 | 5 |
Bowling
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | NB | WD | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammed Siraj | 3 | 0 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15.30 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 4 | 0 | 54 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13.50 |
| Jason Holder | 4 | 0 | 39 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9.80 |
| Rashid Khan | 3 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.70 |
| Prasidh Krishna | 4 | 0 | 53 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 13.20 |
| Kulwant Khejroliya | 2 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 15.50 |
Did not bat: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jacob Duffy, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam Dar.
Gujarat Titans — Batting and Bowling
| Batter | Dismissal / Notes | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sai Sudharsan | hit wkt b Jacob Duffy | 14 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 155.56 |
| Shubman Gill (c) | b Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 28.57 |
| Jos Buttler (wk) | b Josh Hazlewood | 29 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 263.64 |
| Nishant Sindhu | c and b Rasikh Salam Dar | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 166.67 |
| Washington Sundar | c Josh Hazlewood b Jacob Duffy | 8 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Jason Holder | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Rahul Tewatia | c Rajat Patidar b Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 68 | 43 | 8 | 4 | 158.14 |
| Rashid Khan | c Jitesh Sharma b Jacob Duffy | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 88.89 |
| Kagiso Rabada | c Virat Kohli b Krunal Pandya | 9 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 180.00 |
| Mohammed Siraj | c Tim David b Krunal Pandya | 5 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 38.46 |
| Prasidh Krishna | not out | 6 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 85.71 |
| Extras | (b 0, lb 1, w 6, nb 1, p 0) | 8 | ||||
| Total | 162-10 (19.3 Overs, RR: 8.31) | 162 | 10 |
Bowling
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | NB | WD | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacob Duffy | 4 | 0 | 39 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9.80 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 4 | 0 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7.00 |
| Josh Hazlewood | 4 | 0 | 39 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9.80 |
| Rasikh Salam Dar | 3 | 1 | 24 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8.00 |
| Krunal Pandya | 3.3 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4.60 |
| Romario Shepherd | 1 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15.00 |
Did not bat: Kulwant Khejroliya.
Star Performer
Rajat Patidar was the match. His 93 not out off 33 balls came with 9 sixes and 5 fours, but the raw numbers only tell half the story.
The important part was timing. RCB had just absorbed a brief squeeze after Holder’s double strike, and Patidar answered by forcing GT to change plans, field placements and lengths almost every over. That is what a captain’s knockout innings looks like when the opposition still thinks it has a way back.
The Turning Point
The decisive swing came after Holder’s twin breakthrough, when RCB were briefly checked and then Patidar-Krunal piled on 95 for the fourth wicket. That partnership erased GT’s hope of containing the total and pushed the chase into a range where even a strong batting side would have needed something close to perfection.
What This Means
RCB’s win took them directly into the IPL 2026 final, while GT were left to process a collapse that began in the powerplay and never really stopped. In knockout cricket, 254/5 gave RCB every advantage, and their bowlers made sure the target was never in doubt for long.
The Bottom Line
RCB were ruthless with the bat and relentless with the ball. On a night when Patidar played like a man who owned the stage, GT were reduced to spectators.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who won RCB vs GT in IPL 2026 Qualifier 1?
A: Royal Challengers Bengaluru won by 92 runs, scoring 254/5 and bowling Gujarat Titans out for 162 in 19.3 overs.
Q: Who was the Player of the Match?
A: Rajat Patidar, who made an unbeaten 93 off 33 balls with 5 fours and 9 sixes.
Q: What is the current tournament standing?
A: RCB moved into the IPL 2026 final after this Qualifier 1 win.
References
IPLT20 — TATA IPL 2026, Qualifier 1: RCB vs GT – Match Report — https://www.iplt20.com/news/4374/tata-ipl-2026-qualifier-1-rcb-vs-gt-match-report
Cricbuzz — RCB vs GT, Qualifier 1, Indian Premier League 2026 — https://www.cricbuzz.com/live-cricket-scores/155376/rcb-vs-gt-qualifier-1-indian-premier-league-2026
Sandeep Raiza — Content Writer, Website Designer, SEO Strategist, and WordPress Expert AI specialist delivering impactful digital solutions that drive business growth.Combining creative storytelling with technical expertise.
