Image: Rajat Patidar’s 93 off 33 balls in Qualifier 1 against Gujarat Titans at Dharamsala sent RCB straight to the IPL 2026 Final in Ahmedabad on May 31 (RCB IPL 2026 Journey)
RCB’s IPL 2026 journey is the story of defending champions refusing to let go. Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their maiden IPL title in 2025 after 18 years of heartbreak. In 2026, they came back sharper, calmer, and more dangerous than ever.
They finished the 14-match league stage at the top of the table with 9 wins, 18 points, and an NRR of +0.783 — the best of any team. Then, on May 26 at HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala, they crushed Gujarat Titans by 92 runs in Qualifier 1 to book a direct ticket to the IPL 2026 Final on May 31 in Ahmedabad.
This is how it all unfolded — match by match, moment by moment.
“RCB’s IPL 2026 journey is now one step from immortality — after conquering pressure, proving their dominance, and reaching the final once again, the defending champions stand ready to rule Ahmedabad.”
| No. | Date | Match | Result | W/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | March 28, 2026 | RCB vs SRH | RCB won by 6 wickets (26 balls remaining) | W |
| 11th | April 05, 2026 | RCB vs CSK | RCB won by 43 runs | W |
| 16th | April 10, 2026 | RCB vs RR | RR won by 6 wickets (12 balls remaining) | L |
| 20th | April 12, 2026 | RCB vs MI | RCB won by 18 runs | W |
| 23rd | April 15, 2026 | RCB vs LSG | RCB won by 5 wickets (29 balls remaining) | W |
| 26th | April 18, 2026 | RCB vs DC | DC won by 6 wickets (1 ball remaining) | L |
| 34th | April 24, 2026 | RCB vs GT | RCB won by 5 wickets (7 balls remaining) | W |
| 39th | April 27, 2026 | RCB vs DC | RCB won by 9 wickets (81 balls remaining) | W |
| 42nd | April 30, 2026 | RCB vs GT | GT won by 4 wickets (25 balls remaining) | L |
| 50th | May 07, 2026 | RCB vs LSG | LSG won by 9 runs (DLS method) | L |
| 54th | May 10, 2026 | RCB vs MI | RCB won by 2 wickets (0 balls remaining) | W |
| 57th | May 13, 2026 | RCB vs KKR | RCB won by 6 wickets (5 balls remaining) | W |
| 61st | May 17, 2026 | RCB vs PBKS | RCB won by 23 runs | W |
| 67th | May 22, 2026 | RCB vs SRH | SRH won by 55 runs | L |
| Q1 | May 26, 2026 | RCB vs GT | RCB won by 92 runs — FINAL QUALIFIED ✅ | W |
Image: Rajat Patidar’s 93 off 33 balls in Qualifier 1 against Gujarat Titans at Dharamsala sent RCB straight to the IPL 2026 Final in Ahmedabad on May 31 (RCB IPL 2026 Journey)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru delivered a historic performance in IPL 2026 Qualifier 1, crushing Gujarat Titans and booking a direct ticket to the final.
RCB 254/5 (20 overs)
vs
GT 162 all out (19.3 overs)
RCB won by 92 runs
The winner of Qualifier 1 goes straight to the final — and RCB have taken full advantage of that rule. Gujarat Titans now get a second chance in Qualifier 2, where they will face the winner of the Eliminator.
Three days after the Kohli masterclass, RCB faced Delhi Capitals and won by 9 wickets with 81 balls to spare. That is a demolition, not a cricket match. Josh Hazlewood took 4/12 — one of the most devastating bowling performances of IPL 2026 — and the DC batting lineup folded before RCB’s pace attack.
Why does this matter? It pushed RCB’s NRR from comfortable to dominant. That +0.783 NRR ultimately separated them from GT and SRH, all of whom finished on 18 points. The DC thrashing is the reason RCB hosted Qualifier 1 advantage at a flat Dharamsala pitch rather than being pushed into the Eliminator.
RCB lost five league matches. The LSG defeat via DLS on May 7 was frustrating. The SRH 55-run defeat in their final league game on May 22 was the most alarming result of their season — they had already secured a top-two finish, but the margin of defeat was jarring.
Both losses tested their mental composure. Both times, RCB bounced back. After the LSG loss, they won three straight — MI, KKR, and PBKS. That sequence of wins showed genuine character. Champions are defined not by avoiding defeat but by how they respond to it.
On May 26 in Dharamsala, with GT’s pace attack of Rabada, Siraj, and Holder ready to bowl, RCB captain Rajat Patidar walked out and produced one of the greatest innings in IPL playoff history. He scored 93 not out off just 33 balls. RCB posted 254/5. GT, chasing 255, were bowled out for 162. RCB won by 92 runs.
Patidar’s innings changed the entire nature of the match. When GT reduced RCB to a tricky position mid-innings, Patidar counterattacked with brutal efficiency. He hit boundaries at will, dominated the pace bowlers, and finished with a strike rate that left the crowd breathless. It was a captain’s performance at the most important moment of the season. Virat Kohli also broke the record for most IPL appearances, surpassing Rohit Sharma’s mark of 281 matches on the same night.
| Date | Match | Result | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 24, 2026 | 34th Match (League) | RCB won by 5 wickets (7 balls remaining) | RCB |
| April 30, 2026 | 42nd Match (League) | GT won by 4 wickets (25 balls remaining) | GT |
| May 26, 2026 | Qualifier 1 (Playoff) | RCB won by 92 runs | RCB ✅ |
RCB and GT met three times in 2026. One win each in the league, then RCB settled the argument decisively in Dharamsala. The rivalry is now 5-4 in favour of RCB across all IPL editions.
RCB finished the league stage in first place with 9 wins, 18 points, and an NRR of +0.783. They then beat Gujarat Titans by 92 runs in Qualifier 1 on May 26, 2026 at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala to qualify directly for the Final.
RCB won 9 out of 14 league matches plus Qualifier 1, making it 10 wins in total across the IPL 2026 season before the Final.
Captain Rajat Patidar scored an unbeaten 93 off 33 balls to power RCB to 254/5 against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 at Dharamsala.
Virat Kohli broke the record for the most IPL appearances of any player, surpassing Rohit Sharma’s previous record of 281 matches. He also reached 9,000 IPL runs during the season — a milestone no other batter has ever achieved.
The IPL 2026 Final is on Sunday, May 31, 2026 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad — the largest cricket stadium in the world.
Rajat Patidar is the captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2026. He led the team throughout the league stage and scored a match-winning 93 not out off 33 balls in Qualifier 1 against Gujarat Titans.
RCB will face the winner of Qualifier 2 on May 31 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Qualifier 2 is on May 29 in New Chandigarh, between Gujarat Titans and the winner of the SRH vs RR Eliminator on May 27.
RCB’s IPL 2026 journey has been a masterclass in defending a title under pressure. Nine league wins. A top-of-the-table finish. A 92-run demolition of Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1. Patidar’s bat. Kohli’s records. Hazlewood’s ruthlessness. Every piece of the puzzle has clicked at the right time. RCB now wait in Ahmedabad for the IPL 2026 Final on May 31 — while Gujarat Titans must regroup and face the winner of the SRH vs RR Eliminator on May 27 in New Chandigarh, with that Qualifier 2 winner also playing in New Chandigarh on May 29 for one last shot at the Final. One team gets a second chance. RCB need no second chance — they are already there. Read our full IPL 2026 playoffs scenarios guide to understand exactly what happens next on the road to May 31 in Ahmedabad.
