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RCB vs GT IPL 2026 Final: The Ultimate Showdown Guide

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru face Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2026 Final on May 31 at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. RCB enter after a 92-run Qualifier 1 win, while GT arrive after Shubman Gill’s century powered their Qualifier 2 chase. This guide covers the match details, routes to the Final, six key battles, head-to-head record, venue conditions and FAQs.

Rajat Patidar and Subman Gill with the IPL 2026 Trophy ©BCCI-X

⚡ RCB vs GT IPL 2026 Final — Quick Facts

MATCH
IPL 2026 Final — Match 74
TEAMS
RCB vs Gujarat Titans
DATE
Sunday, May 31, 2026
START
7:30 PM IST
VENUE
Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
CAPACITY
132,000
RCB QUALIFIED
Beat GT by 92 runs in Qualifier 1
GT QUALIFIED
Beat RR by 7 wickets in Qualifier 2

What's Happening: RCB vs GT IPL 2026 Final

The RCB vs GT IPL 2026 Final brings Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans together after 73 matches across 63 days. The Final is scheduled for Sunday, May 31, 2026 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, with the toss at 7:00 PM IST and the first ball at 7:30 PM IST. Check the official IPL schedule for any last-minute update.

RCB arrive as defending champions after beating GT by 92 runs in Qualifier 1 on May 26 in Dharamsala. GT recovered in Qualifier 2 on May 29, where captain Shubman Gill made 104 from 53 balls as they chased 215 against Rajasthan Royals. Two teams, one trophy and no second chance.

📖 Read the complete RCB IPL 2026 journey to the Final.

“Finals are not won by the best team on paper. They are won by the team that refuses to blink when everything is on the line. One ground. One night. One chance.”

IPL 2026 Final: Match Details at a Glance

The complete match information from the original post is retained below, including date, time, venue, qualification paths and the pre-Final head-to-head figures.

Detail Information
MatchIPL 2026 Final — Match 74
TeamsRoyal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans
DateSunday, May 31, 2026
Toss7:00 PM IST
Start Time7:30 PM IST (2:00 PM GMT)
VenueNarendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Capacity132,000 — largest cricket stadium in the world
RCB qualified viaQualifier 1 — beat GT by 92 runs (May 26, Dharamsala)
GT qualified viaQualifier 2 — beat RR by 7 wickets (May 29, Mullanpur)
Head-to-Head 2026RCB lead 2-1 (including Qualifier 1)
Overall H2HRCB lead 5-4 over GT across all IPL meetings

Table: RCB vs GT IPL 2026 Final match details.

How Both Teams Reached the IPL 2026 Final

RCB’s route:
RCB topped the league table with nine wins, 18 points and an NRR of +0.783. They then beat GT by 92 runs in Qualifier 1 on May 26 at HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala. Captain Rajat Patidar scored 93 not out from 33 balls at a strike rate of 281.81. RCB posted 254/5 and dismissed GT for 162, giving them five days of rest before the Final.

GT’s route:
GT also finished the league stage with nine wins and 18 points, but their NRR of +0.695 placed them below RCB. After losing Qualifier 1, they regrouped in Qualifier 2 on May 29 in Mullanpur. GT chased 215 against Rajasthan Royals with eight balls remaining. Gill scored 104 from 53 balls, Sai Sudharsan added 58 from 32 and Rahul Tewatia finished with 17 not out from nine.

Related: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 97 from 29 balls in the IPL 2026 Eliminator.

RCB vs GT IPL 2026 Final: 6 Key Battles to Watch

1. Virat Kohli vs Kagiso Rabada — King vs Destroyer

Virat Kohli had scored 557 runs in IPL 2026 before the Final and averaged more than 85 against GT in this rivalry. He was also the all-time leading IPL run-scorer with more than 9,000 runs. Rabada dismissed Kohli in their April 30 league meeting. An early powerplay wicket would open the game for GT; if Kohli survives and builds beyond 30, RCB’s batting depth becomes much harder to contain.

2. Shubman Gill vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar — Century Maker vs Master of Swing

Shubman Gill entered the Final after making 104 from 53 balls in Qualifier 2, his fifth IPL hundred and a century reached in 47 balls. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was RCB’s leading bowler with 26 wickets in 15 matches at an economy of 8.00. The old-ball battle matters, but Bhuvneshwar’s wobble-seam threat against Gill in the powerplay could set the direction of the match.

3. Rajat Patidar vs Rashid Khan — Captain's Duel

Rashid Khan dismissed Patidar in the April 30 league meeting. Patidar responded later in the season with 93 not out from 33 balls in Qualifier 1. Rashid had 18 wickets and was GT’s most economical bowler. Their middle-over contest is a direct clash between RCB’s captain and GT’s main spin weapon.

4. Sai Sudharsan vs Josh Hazlewood — Calm vs Pace

Sai Sudharsan had been one of GT’s most consistent batters and scored 58 from 32 balls in Qualifier 2. Josh Hazlewood produced a 4/12 spell earlier in the season and brings swing at high pace. If Hazlewood finds Sudharsan’s outside edge early, GT lose the batter expected to anchor the innings alongside Gill.

5. The Pitch Battle — Pace or Spin?

The Ahmedabad surface had produced an average first-innings score of 193 in IPL 2026. Pacers averaged fewer than 25 with the ball, compared with spinners averaging more than 35, while chasing teams won more often at the venue. Those figures point toward a high-scoring match in which new-ball pace and the toss could matter more than prolonged spin control.

6. GT's Home Ground Advantage — A Fortress or a Burden?

Narendra Modi Stadium is GT’s home ground and was expected to hold 132,000 spectators for the Final. The source post credits GT with two wins in three previous RCB meetings at the venue, while RCB had already won the IPL 2025 Final at the same ground and entered after defeating GT by 92 runs in Qualifier 1. The crowd favours GT, but Ahmedabad is not unfamiliar territory for RCB.

RCB vs GT Head-to-Head: All Meetings

RCB led the completed rivalry 5-4 before the Final. The full season-by-season table from the old post is preserved below, including both IPL 2026 league meetings and Qualifier 1.

Season Venue Result Winner
IPL 2022 Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai GT won by 6 wickets GT
IPL 2022 Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai RCB won by 8 wickets RCB
IPL 2023 M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru GT won by 6 wickets GT
IPL 2024 Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad RCB won by 9 wickets RCB
IPL 2024 M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru RCB won by 4 wickets RCB
IPL 2025 M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru GT won by 8 wickets GT
IPL 2026 League M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru RCB won by 5 wickets RCB
IPL 2026 League Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad GT won by 4 wickets GT
IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala RCB won by 92 runs RCB ✅
IPL 2026 Final Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad TBD 🏆 May 31
Overall: RCB lead 5-4 before the IPL 2026 Final. The table lists one Ahmedabad win for each team before the Final.

Venue and Pitch: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

Narendra Modi Stadium has a listed capacity of 132,000 and is Gujarat Titans’ home ground. It also hosted RCB’s title-winning IPL 2025 Final against Punjab Kings.

The IPL 2026 numbers in the original post show an average first-innings total of 193. Pacers averaged fewer than 25 with the ball, while spinners averaged more than 35. Chasing teams won more often at the venue, giving the toss and powerplay bowling added importance.

Frequently Asked Questions — RCB vs GT IPL 2026 Final

The IPL 2026 Final between RCB and GT is on Sunday, May 31, 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Toss at 7:00 PM IST. Match starts at 7:30 PM IST.

RCB qualified directly by winning Qualifier 1 on May 26, 2026, beating Gujarat Titans by 92 runs at HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala. Rajat Patidar scored 93 not out off 33 balls and RCB posted 254/5.

GT beat Rajasthan Royals by 7 wickets in Qualifier 2 on May 29, 2026 in Mullanpur. Shubman Gill scored 104 off 53 balls as GT chased 215 — the highest successful chase in IPL history — with 8 balls to spare.

RCB lead the overall head-to-head 5-4 across all IPL meetings. In IPL 2026 specifically, RCB lead 2-1, having won both the April 24 league game and the Qualifier 1 on May 26. GT won the April 30 league meeting.

Shubman Gill is in the form of his life. He scored 104 off 53 balls in Qualifier 2 against RR — his 5th IPL hundred and the fastest ever by a GT batter. He is the first batter to score multiple centuries in IPL playoffs.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been RCB’s standout bowler in IPL 2026 with 26 wickets in 15 matches at an economy rate of just 8.00 — the best figures of any RCB bowler this season.

Yes. The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is GT’s home ground. GT have won 2 of their 3 previous meetings against RCB at this venue. However, RCB won their IPL 2025 title at the same ground, so they are comfortable playing there.

Final Verdict

The RCB vs GT IPL 2026 Final brings defending champions against a GT side seeking revenge at home. RCB enter with batting depth, Final experience and the confidence of their 92-run Qualifier 1 victory. GT counter with Gill in strong form, a successful 215 chase in Qualifier 2 and a large home crowd.

The match could turn on one powerplay moment: Kohli against Rabada, Gill against Bhuvneshwar or a middle-over Rashid breakthrough. Read the Rajat Patidar IPL 2026 captaincy story for more on the player leading RCB into the Final.

AB Ankit is Editor-in-chief of CricPage.

RCB vs GT Final Guide

Match context and quick facts.

Date, start time, venue and qualification paths.

How RCB and GT reached Ahmedabad.

The player and tactical matchups.

Every listed RCB–GT meeting.

Ahmedabad scoring and bowling conditions.

Seven answers from the original post.

The concluding pre-match assessment.

Related CricPage Links

How the defending champions reached the Final.

Every-ball look at his 97 from 29 deliveries.

The RCB captain leading the side into the Final.

IPL 2026 Final Highlights

Final Match

Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans.

Date and Time

May 31, 2026; first ball at 7:30 PM IST.

Venue

Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.

Qualification

RCB won Qualifier 1; GT won Qualifier 2.

Pre-Final H2H

RCB led the completed rivalry 5-4.