Ahmedabad: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) scripted history by defeating Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2026 final on Sunday, securing their second consecutive Indian Premier League title and becoming only the third franchise to successfully defend the championship twice.

Chasing a target of 156 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, RCB rode on a masterful unbeaten 75 off 42 balls from veteran batter Virat Kohli to seal victory and retain the crown. Kohli anchored the chase from start to finish and overcame an injury scare during his innings. The former India captain also registered the fastest half-century of his IPL career in a high-pressure final.

Earlier, RCB captain Rajat Patidar won the toss and elected to bowl first, a decision that paid immediate dividends. Gujarat Titans lost skipper Shubman Gill and opener Sai Sudharsan inside the powerplay, putting the innings on the back foot.

Despite the early setbacks, all-rounder Washington Sundar kept GT in the contest with a fighting half-century after receiving an early reprieve. However, RCB’s disciplined bowling attack prevented the Titans from building significant partnerships.

Pacer Rasikh Salam Dar starred with the ball, claiming three wickets, while experienced bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar chipped in with two wickets each as Gujarat Titans were restricted to 155/8 in their allotted 20 overs.

The triumph marks another milestone in RCB’s resurgence, as they joined an elite list of teams to win more than one IPL titles, underlining their dominance in the tournament over the past seasons. Kohli’s match-winning knock and the team’s all-round performance ensured that Bengaluru finished the campaign as worthy champions once again.