Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans — Royal Challengers Bengaluru won by 92 runs

Royal Challengers Bengaluru won by 92 runs. That was the resounding statement from Dharamsala as RCB demolished Gujarat Titans in the 71st match of 74 in the Indian Premier League 2026, securing top spot heading into the playoffs with a thumping victory at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium.

Both sides came into this one level on 16 points, and the winner was always going to seize the initiative at the business end of the league phase. RCB did more than seize it – they obliterated the opposition to claim first place on net run rate, leaving GT to settle for second despite identical records of 9 wins from 14.

First Innings – RCB Post 254/5

Gujarat won the toss and put RCB in – a decision they would regret almost immediately. Venkatesh Iyer set the tone with 19 off just 7 balls (3×4, 1×6, SR 271) before falling at 21-1 in the second over, caught off Kagiso Rabada.

Virat Kohli continued the assault with 43 off 25 (5×4, 1×6, SR 172), adding 72 for the second wicket before being bowled at 93-2 in the ninth over. Devdutt Padikkal fell one ball later for 30 off 19 (5×4) – two wickets in quick succession at 94-3 that might have slowed most sides.

Not this one. Rajat Patidar walked in and played one of the innings of the tournament. His unbeaten 93 off 33 balls (5×4, 9×6, SR 282) was sheer devastation – nine sixes from a player who timed his explosion perfectly. Krunal Pandya provided excellent support with 43 off 28 (5×4, 2×6, SR 154), the pair adding 95 before Krunal fell at 189-4 in the 17th over. Tim David managed just 4 off 5 before being bowled at 214-5, but Jitesh Sharma (15* off 5, 1×4, 1×6, SR 300) helped Patidar push RCB to a mammoth 254/5.

GT’s bowling figures told the story of a side under siege. Jason Holder was the best of the lot with 2/39 from his four overs (economy 9.75). Rabada took 2/54 at 13.50. Prasidh Krishna went for 1/53, Mohammed Siraj conceded 46 from just three overs (economy 15.33), and Kulwant Khejroliya leaked 31 from two overs at 15.50.

Second Innings – GT All Out for 162

Chasing 255 was always going to be a tall order, and GT’s pursuit unravelled quickly. Sai Sudharsan fell for 14 off 9 (3×4) in bizarre fashion – hit wicket at 17-1 in the third over. Shubman Gill could only manage 2 off 7 before being bowled at 27-2 in the fourth over – the GT captain’s innings lasted just seven balls and the required rate was already spiralling.

Jos Buttler briefly threatened with a stunning 29 off 11 (4×4, 2×6, SR 264), but was bowled at 51-3 in the fifth over. From there, wickets fell in clusters. Nishant Sindhu (5 off 3) was caught at 51-4, and Holder went for a duck – caught at 51-5. Three wickets for no runs in the space of four balls.

Washington Sundar (8 off 8) fell at 65-6 in the ninth over, and Rashid Khan (8 off 9) departed at 78-7. Rahul Tewatia was the lone resistance, smashing 68 off 43 (8×4, 4×6, SR 158) in a defiant knock that took GT from 88-8 to 156-9. But it was a lost cause by then, and GT were bowled out for 162 in 19.3 overs.

Jacob Duffy led RCB’s bowling with 3/39 from four overs (economy 9.75). Bhuvneshwar Kumar was typically efficient with 2/28 at 7.00, Krunal Pandya added 2/16 from 3.3 overs at a miserly economy of 4.57, and Rasikh Salam Dar chipped in with 2/24 from three overs with a maiden.

Statz MVP – Rajat Patidar (140.14)

No arguments here. Patidar’s match impact rating of 140.14 – calculated based on match context – puts this among the standout individual performances of IPL 2026. His 93 not out off 33 balls with nine sixes was the defining innings at Dharamsala, and Statz agrees with the official Player of the Match award. For context, Patidar has accumulated a total scaled match impact of 733.52 across 13 matches this season, averaging 56.42 – but this performance was 2.5 times his season average.

Top 5 Statz Ratings

1. Rajat Patidar (RCB) – 140.14
93* off 33 (5×4, 9×6, SR 282). Nine sixes in a performance that single-handedly took the game away from Gujarat. The highest match impact rating in this fixture by a country mile.

2. Rahul Tewatia (GT) – 87.48
68 off 43 (8×4, 4×6, SR 158). A defiant knock from No. 7 when the rest of the middle order crumbled around him. Took GT from 88-8 to 156-9 in a lost cause, but earned the second-highest rating of the match.

3. Krunal Pandya (RCB) – 85.87
43 off 28 (5×4, 2×6) with the bat, then 2/16 from 3.3 overs (economy 4.57) with the ball. The complete all-round performance – 153 Dream11 points reflected his dominance across both disciplines.

4. Jason Holder (GT) – 75.58
2/39 from four overs (economy 9.75) was the best of GT’s bowlers in a match where nothing worked. His batting contribution was a duck, but his bowling impact carried his rating.

5. Kagiso Rabada (GT) – 67.94
2/54 from four overs at an economy of 13.50 plus 9 off 5 with the bat. Expensive by his standards, but two wickets in the powerplay still gave him the fifth-highest impact rating.

Turning Point

The collapse from 51-3 to 51-5 in the fifth over of the chase killed the game. Nishant Sindhu was caught at 51-4 off ball 5.1, and Jason Holder followed immediately – caught at 51-5 off ball 5.4. Three wickets fell with the score stuck on 51, turning a difficult chase into an impossible one. With both set batters and their best all-rounder gone, GT’s hopes of reaching 255 evaporated.

Match Context

This was the 71st match of 74 in IPL 2026, meaning the league phase is essentially done. RCB finish first (W9 L5, 18 pts, NRR +0.744) ahead of GT in second (W9 L5, 18 pts, NRR +0.695) on net run rate – this 92-run hammering was the decisive factor. Sunrisers Hyderabad sit third (W9 L5, 18 pts, NRR +0.524), with Rajasthan Royals fourth on 16 points.

For RCB, finishing top means a likely home Qualifier 1 and two shots at the final. For GT, second place still guarantees a top-four finish, but they will want to shake off this hammering quickly before the knockouts. RCB now lead the all-time head-to-head 5-4 after this result.

Full scorecard on Statz