Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans, IPL, 2026 May 26 Full score card

OUT! CAUGHT! It's all over. Royal Challengers Bengaluru qualify for the Grand Finale of IPL 2026. They beat the Gujarat Titans by a massive margin of 92 runs. Flatter and quicker outside off. Siraj clears the front leg, swings across the line and sends it ballooning high into the night sky off the top edge. The ball hangs forever between mid on and mid off before Tim David, the tall Australian, comes thundering in from long off and flings himself into a dive to complete a stunning catch. Caps off a commanding display across all departments by RCB. Joyous faces all around the RCB camp and why not? They are now just one step away from defending their title.

Dropped a bit short, on off. It stays low and Krishna inside edges the pull shot to backward square leg for a single.

Slides in full and on off, Krishna defends off the front foot.

Last over coming up now. It will be Krunal Pandya to bowl. Can RCB bowl GT out here?

Nagging length, at the hips. Prasidh Krishna tucks it through square leg for a single.

In front of the sticks, full, Prasidh Krishna presses ahead and blocks it out.

Leg cutter, full and straightening up from off. Prasidh Krishna swings hard across the line, but connects only a handful of thin air.

FOUR! Into the gap! On a back of a length, outside off. Prasidh Krishna uses the pace, stays put in the crease and guides it wide of short third for a boundary.

Almost a yorker, outside off. This is clipped to mid-wicket.

Prasidh Krishna is the last man in.

OUT! TAKEN! Bhuvneshwar Kumar adds another to his tally. That's his 26th wicket this season. Length ball, around off. Rahul stays leg side and looks to smash it over cover, but mistimes it badly as he is deceived by the lack of pace. Cannot control the shot and slices it in the air to the left of cover where Rajat Patidar leaps a bit and takes a fine tumbling catch at the edge of the circle. RCB are just one wicket away as GT are 156/9.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar comes back into the attack.

Full and angled in and around off. Rahul Tewatia clips it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

WIDE! Miles outside off, breaching the tramline. Left alone.

Outside off, slower one, on a length. Rahul slashes at it, but the ball keeps low and squirts off the bottom edge to the keeper.

Slightly short at 135.3 kph, on the stumps. Rahul Tewatia swats it back to the bowler. Rasikh collects the ball on the follow-through and releases a direct hit at the batting end, but Tewatia hasn't moved out of his crease. Rasikh gives the batter a stare before walking back.

FOUR! Guided away! Short of a length, at pace now on top of off. Rahul Tewatia rides the bounce, opens the bat face and pierces the backward point and short third gap for a boundary.

SIX! Tewatia continues to have fun out there. Serves it right into the slot, on off, Rahul Tewatia gets the ball into his arc, gets down on a knee, and slogs the slower ball over long on for a six.

Back of a length, outside off, punched on the up to deep point.

WIDE! Way too short and likely going over the head of the batter. Rahul Tewatia lets it fly through to the keeper. Wide signalled, but RCB have gone for a review. Ball Tracking with a side on replay comes up. Tewatia's head height is measured at 1.755 meters, and the ball is passing well above that, at 1.833 meters. So it's a wide and the on-field decision is upheld.

Rasikh Salam replaces Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Full and outside off, Siraj gets on the front foot and cracks the drive, straight to short cover. Hazlewood ends the spell with figures reading 4-0-39-1.

Hard length and on middle and leg, Rahul Tewatia steps across and pulls it wide of deep square, where the fielder makes a sliding stop to his right. A single taken.

FOUR! Great placement! Back of a length and around leg, Rahul Tewatia rolls his wrists and pulls it away, splitting the gap perfectly between deep square leg and deep mid-wicket for another boundary.

Ouch! That must have hurt! Slants it into the batter, on a length, Rahul Tewatia gets a bit across to pull but the ball skids and beats the inside edge to hit him around the abdomen area.

FOUR! Through the gap. And that's FIFTY FOR TEWATIA! Just his 2nd IPL half century. Back of a length, outside off. Tewatia uses the pace, stays back and cuts it to the left of the short third fielder for a boundary. Good knock from him so far and he will like to bat till the end.

Short in length, on the leg stump. Rahul pulls it on the bounce to the left of the deep square leg fielder. The man there gets across and cuts it off. No run taken.

Strategic Break! Rahul Tewatia is playing a good knock here, which will give some confidence to the Titans before their next knockout game. It might not affect the result, but it shows that someone in the middle order has found form. Royal Challengers Bengaluru will want to pick up the last couple of wickets quickly to finish things off here. Josh Hazlewood to bowl after the break.

At pace, on off and full in length. Siraj mistimes the straight drive off the inside half to short mid-wicket.

Full on leg, Rahul clips it to the right of mid-wicket for a single.

Overpitched, on middle, Tewatia drills it off the inner half to deep mid-wicket. Denies the single again.

SIX! Nicely done! Knuckleball from Kumar, outside off, full in length. Rahul sits across and nails the scoop shot over deep fine leg for a six.

FOUR! Puts it away! Low full toss, on leg, Rahul gets down on a knee and sweeps it to deep backward square leg for a boundary. No man there.

Full on leg stump. Tewatia flicks it away to deep mid-wicket.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2-0-12-1) returns into the attack, replacing Josh Hazlewood.

Flatter, full and on middle, Mohammed Siraj tucks it to mid-wicket.

Slows it up, full and on middle, Mohammed Siraj fends it away.

Dragged back and on off, Rahul Tewatia swats it to long on for a run.

Short and around leg, Mohammed Siraj clips it through backward square leg for a single.

Tossed up, full and on middle, Mohammed Siraj blocks it out.

Floated, full and on off, Mohammed Siraj knocks it to the left of the bowler.

Tewatia is having a bit of fun out there. GT need 134 runs from 36 balls. And there's a bowling change. Krunal Pandya (2-0-13-1) is back on, replacing Romario Shepherd.

FOUR! Nicely done! Back of a length and on middle and leg, Rahul Tewatia backs away to create room, opens the bat face and steers it between short third and backward point for a boundary. 14 runs of the over.

SIX! Just over! Attempted yorker, on middle. Rahul Tewatia gets down on his knee, takes it on the full and slog sweeps it over the deep square leg fence for a flat six.

Bangs this into the pitch, on middle, skids through, Rahul Tewatia tries to heave it away but misses and takes a blow around his midriff.

FOUR! Cheeky! Short of a length and outside off, takes pace off again, Rahul Tewatia shuffles across, waits for it and scoops it to the fine leg fence for a boundary.

Slower one, full and on middle, Rahul Tewatia drives it straight to extra cover.

Hard length and on middle, lifts up off the deck, Rahul Tewatia gets hurried and the ball hits him high on the bat before rolling to the off side.

Josh Hazlewood is brought back on. 2-0-16-1 are his bowling figures so far. He replaces Krunal Pandya.

On a length and on middle, Mohammed Siraj blocks it out.

Much fuller and on middle, angling in, Rahul Tewatia drills it to long on for a single.

SIX! That's his go-to shot! Romario Shepherd hits the deck hard and around middle, Rahul Tewatia gets low and across to get inside the line of the ball and whacks it over the deep square leg fence for a biggie.

Short of a length and on off, Rahul Tewatia runs it down to third man.

FOUR MORE! Back of a length and on middle, Rahul Tewatia stands tall and pulls it behind square on the leg side this time for another boundary. That brings up the 100 for GT.

FOUR! Good shot! Fuller delivery and around off, Rahul Tewatia gets down on one knee and swipes it away in front of the square on the leg side for a boundary.

Romario Shepherd is brought into the attack now.

Dot to end the over! Flatter, full and around leg, Mohammed Siraj misses his flick as the ball goes off his pads and trickles behind. No run taken.

On a good length, around off, Siraj manages to keep it out to the off side.

FOUR! Gets it away! Short again but down the leg side, Mohammed Siraj hooks it away to the fine leg fence to pick up four runs.

Live visuals show crestfallen faces in the GT camp.

Another bouncer, around off, Mohammed Siraj gets surprised by it and lets it go.

OUT! CAUGHT! Krunal Pandya gets his man now. He tries his infamous short ball once again and manages to get the lift he wants this time, on middle. Kagiso Rabada transfers his weight on the back foot to pull again, but the ball gets big on him. He mistimes the shot wide of long on, where Virat Kohli covers a lot of ground to his left and takes a fantastic catch around his knees. Mohammed Siraj is the new batter in for GT as they are reduced to 88/8.

Gujarat Titans are at a scare of being bowled out below three digits.

WIDE! Flatter, full but down the leg side, Kagiso Rabada misses his flick. Wided.

FOUR! Fine shot! Krunal Pandya bowls the bumper and around off. Kagiso Rabada picks up the length early and smacks it to the deep mid-wicket fence for a boundary.

We can see Romario Shepherd readying himself at the sidelines and Duffy is the one who seems to be subbed out but he is still not off the field. There's a bit of confusion and the on-field umpire has a chat with Rajat Patidar about whether they are using the substitution or not. They are, says Patidar. Romario Shepherd comes in as RCB's impact sub for Jacob Duffy. Krunal Pandya to continue.

Jacob Duffy is substituted by Romario Shepherd

Slower one, hard length and outside off, Kagiso Rabada backs away to punch it but cue-ends it towards third man for one. Jacob Duffy finishes a fine spell of bowling with figures of 4-0-39-3.

FOUR! Nice shot! Short of a length and around leg, Kagiso Rabada gets his front leg up in the air, swivels and helps it on its way to the deep backward square leg fence for a boundary.

Fuller one, on middle and leg, Kagiso Rabada steers it to point.

Another one bites the dust and RCB are literally strolling their way to the finale. Kagiso Rabada is in at number 9.

OUT! EDGED AND GONE! Jacob Duffy gets his third. He hits the deck hard and angles it into the batter this time. Rashid Khan charges down the track to pull it away but gets tucked up and the extra bounce takes the outside edge. The ball flies behind, where Jitesh Sharma takes a fine catch with a leap to his left. RCB are just three wickets away from the win now.

It's been one-way traffic through and through. The Titans have just not been able to put on a fight.

WIDE! Slower one, full but way outside off, Rashid Khan leaves it alone. Wided.

SIX! Clears the fence! Good length and on middle, Rashid Khan bends his back knee, swings hard and clobbers it over the wide long on fence for a biggie.

Back of a length and around off, Rahul Tewatia heaves it to deep square leg for a single.

Halfway stage is crossed in the chase. The game has slipped far away from GT's reach now. They need 185 runs from 60 balls. And with figures of 3-0-26-2 so far, Jacob Duffy will bowl out.

Drops it full and on leg, Rahul Tewatia lunges forward and flicks it along the ground to deep mid-wicket for one more. At halfway, GT are 70/6.

Short on off, Rashid goes back and punches it to the left of the bowler, toward long off for one.

On a lower trajectory, full on leg, Rahul plants the front foot across and clips it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Length ball, around middle and leg. Rashid Khan backs away and knocks it down to long off for a single.

Quicker one, a touch short, outside off. Rashid tries to late cut, but gets beaten.

Flatter from around the stump, Khan eases it back to the bowler.

Short of a good length, wide outside off. Tewatia leans back and taps it straight to the backward point fielder.

Attacks the batter's pads by hitting the hard length, Rashid Khan is rushed into the crease and tries to whip it across, but the ball beats the inside edge and deflects off the front pad to short fine leg for a leg bye.

Slower one, outside off, on a length. Rashid slashes hard but finds the fielder at short third.

Geez, that's good gas from Duffy! A well-directed short ball from the lanky Kiwi bowler, on middle and leg. Rashid Khan is hurried and tries to duck but the ball hits his right shoulder and lobs on the bounce to the keeper's left.

Strategic Break! Well, to be fair, the result pretty much looks invincible here. Royal Challengers Bengaluru can see the spot in the final and will want to wrap things up as quickly as possible to take massive confidence into the summit clash. Gujarat Titans just never really got going in this chase and now are in danger of getting bowled out without even getting to three digits. Rashid Khan comes out to the middle now.

OUT! CAUGHT IN THE DEEP! Duffy further twists the knife as he has his second wicket. Hits the hard length, on top of off. Washington Sundar is forced to arch back to make room for himself to play the ramp shot over deep third. He goes through the shot but it is too close to his body to play that kind of shot. Airs it to the deep third region where Josh Hazlewood runs across to his right, along the circumference of the boundary, and takes a nicely-judged catch. Sundar throws his head back in disarray and that sums up his team's evening. Gujarat Titans are 65/6, chasing 255.

Pace off, outside off on a fuller length, at 115.1 kph. Rahul Tewatia strides ahead and creams it to the right of the diving cover fielder for a single.

Jacob Duffy is back on.

Slower one, full and on middle. Rahul Tewatia dinks it to the leg side, in front of square leg, for a run. 11 runs from the over.

Fires it into the batter, touch full. Washington Sundar plays from the crease and eases it through mid-wicket for a single.

Hard into the pitch at pace, 134.2 kph, on off. Sundar rides the bounce and chops it back to the bowler.

FOUR! Gets the hold of that! Slower ball off the back of the hand, on middle and leg. Washington Sundar lets the ball come at him and then heaves it over mid on for a boundary.

WIDE! Far outside off, beyond the guideline. Sundar leaves it alone.

NO BALL! Way too short and flying over the head of the batter. Sundar lets it be. Wide called for height. And oh, hang on. The siren goes off as it's a No Ball. Salam has overstepped. Free Hit coming up...

Attacks the stumps from around the stump. Washington Sundar uses his wrists to steer the ball to the left of mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Around off, on a length. Rahul gently dabs the ball behind point for an easy run.

Takes a bit of pace off, good length on middle and leg. Rahul Tewatia waits on it and steers it behind square on the leg side for a single.

Full and on middle, at 145.7 kph. Rahul flicks it to mid-wicket. Straight to Padikkal there.

Loose, too loose! Hits the deck hard, outside off. Rahul Tewatia is beaten on the square cut as the ball kicks up and keeps leaving the left-hander. Whistles above Rahul's angled bat.

Just around off, on a fullish length. Rahul Tewatia leans on and taps it to the off side with soft hands.

On top of off, on a length. Tewatia blocks it down the pitch off the back foot.

Length-delivery, around off. Sundar climbs on the bounce and punches it to deep cover for a single.

A double-wicket maiden by Salam. GT end their Powerplay with 51/5 on the board. Length ball, on off, Rahul watchfully blocks it out.

Around off, full in length, Rahul keeps it out.

GT lose half their side inside the Powerplay. Rahul Tewatia walks out to bat now.

Kulwant Khejroliya is substituted by Rahul Tewatia

OUT! TAKEN EASILY! Wicket number 2 for Salam and RCB can feel that they have one foot inside the finale. Cross-seam delivery, on a back of a length, outside off, and Salam manages to extract some extra bounce. Holder looks to pull through mid-wicket by standing tall, but the ball climbs sharply on him, taking the upper half of the bat. It lobs tamely to Hazlewood at mid on, who takes it without fuss. The Titans are reduced to 51/5, needing 204 runs in 86 balls.

Dear me! Nearly a run out and Holder had given up already. Back of a length, on off, Holder plays off the back foot and knocks it in front of Kohli at backward point. Holder is keen to get a run, but Sundar sends him back. Kohli attacks the ball, picks and throws in a motion, but the throw his wide at the batting end and he misses his shy, allowing Holder to retreat back in.

Oh, that goes underground! Dishes out a slower ball, full and outside off. Jason presses forward to block, but the ball stays extremely low Holder is beaten past the outside edge.

It's getting from bad to worse for the Titans. Jason Holder is the next man in.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! It's all falling apart for the Titans rather quickly now. Bowls from around the stump, does Rasikh, on a good length, and angling into the batter. Nishant Sindhu is squared up and tries to stab it straight, but ends up chipping it tamely back to the bowler. Rasikh Salam responds quickly by diving to his right on the follow-through and scooping the ball before the ground. However, there's an umpire's review for a fair catch. The replay shows that the fingers are underneath the ball and it is deemed a clean catch. GT are 51/4, chasing 255.

Last over the Powerplay. Rasikh Salam is introduced into the attack.

Fuller one and around off, Washington Sundar drills it a bit uppishly down the pitch. Nishant Sindhu cannot get out of the way of it and takes a blow on the pads as the ball goes nowhere.

Hazlewood lets out a big roar, and one can feel how much that means to him and his team. Big trouble for the Titans now as their big performers are gone inside the Powerplay. Washington Sundar is in at number 5.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! Josh Hazlewood has the last laugh here and lets out a big roar, which shows how much this means to him as he is a man of few emotions. He cleverly rolls his fingers and bowls the leg-cutter, on a length and on off. Jos Buttler makes room but does not pick the slower one. He slashes at it, but the ball skids through to beat him and rattles into the off pole. Butter's fun is short-lived, and RCB are well and truly on top here.

FOUR! That is a top shot! Pitched up again and on middle and leg. Jos Buttler uses his feet, stays leg side of the ball and bludgeons it past mid off as the ball races to the fence like a tracer bullet. 50 UP FOR GT.

SIX! Clean strike! Much fuller and on middle, Jos Buttler clears his front leg this time and dispatches it with ease over the long on fence for a biggie.

FOUR! Powered away! Josh Hazlewood follows the batter into the leg side, back of a length. Jos Buttler makes enough room to free his arms and thumps it down the ground, between the non-striker's leg and to the long on fence for a boundary.

Hard length and on middle, angling into the batter, Jos Buttler tucks it to mid-wicket.

FOUR! Gets it through! Pulls his length back a bit, on off, Nishant Sindhu opens the bat face slightly and guides it between backward point and short third for four more runs.

Touch fuller and on off, Jos Buttler takes a couple of steps ou and knocks it to mid off for a run.

EDGED AND FOUR! Bhuvneshwar Kumar lands this on a good length and on the fifth stump line, hits the deck, and just straightens a bit. Jos Buttler gets drawn forward to play at it but gets an outside edge. Jitesh Sharma, the keeper, dives to his right, but the ball drops just short and goes under his right glove to the third man fence for a boundary.

Overpitched and around off, Jos Buttler drills it hard but on the bounce to short cover.

Slightly overpitched, outside off. Nishant Sindhu stretches forward and creams it to deep cover for a single.

An absolute beauty from Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Nishant Sindhu is the new batter in at number 4. Two slips in place.

OUT! KNOCKED HIM OVER! Too early to say, but RCB have done half their job already as the GT openers are back in the hut in just 19 balls. And according to Ian Bishop on air, this is the sixth time that Bhuvneshwar has got Gill dismissed in the IPL. Over the wicket, 139.4 kph. Lands on a good length around middle and cuts back sharply off the pitch. Gill goes hard across the line, front leg out of the way, but he is cut in half. The ball threads through the bat and pad gap, beats the inside edge, and rattles the stumps. Gujarat Titans are 27/2, needing 228 runs from 101 balls.

SIX! Excellent shot! Fuller one and angling down the leg side. Jos Buttler picks it off his pads and whips it effortlessly over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie.

FOUR! Jos Buttler gets going! On a length but angling down the leg side, Buttle just has to ge some bat on it and tickles it to the fine leg fence for a boundary.

Fuller and on middle, shaping in, Jos Buttler looks to play at it but gets an inside egde onto his pads.

That's the unluckiest way to get dismissed and that too, in such a huge game. Jos Buttler is in at number 3. And this is probably the make-or-break partnership for the Titans.

OUT! HIT WICKET! One of the rarest dismissals you will ever see, and it is just really unlucky for Sai Sudharsan. Jacob Duffy hits the hard length and around off, Sai punches it off the back foot with sweet timing through covers. He plays it with a high elbow, but loses the grip of the bat as it twists in his hands. It falls on the pitch and somehow bounces to kiss the leg stump, with one of the bails falling down. Everyone seems to be confused about what has happened here. The ball is over the fence, but RCB players are celebrating. Sudharsan cannot believe it but has to walk back now. GT are 17/1, chasing 255 runs.

FOUR! Put away! Short of a length and on middle, this one sits up nicely for the batter. Sai Sudharsan gets on top of the bounce and uses his fast hands to pull it to the deep mid-wicket fence for a crunching boundary.

The dots are piling up for GT! Jacob Duffy sees the batter give charge and bangs this into the pitch, outside off, gets some extra bounce as well. Sai Sudharsan hops up and tries to cut it away but misses.

And Bhuvi does what he does best. Just 2 runs from his first over. Jacob Duffy (1-0-11-0) to continue.

Another full delivery, on middle, shapes in, Shubman Gill steps across and works it to mid-wicket.

Goes back to the fuller length, on off, Shubman Gill drives it firmly but straight to mid off.

Hits the deck hard, just outside off, keeps low and skids through, Shubman Gill backs away and tries to punch it away but the ball goes under his bat to the keeper.

Pitched up but on the pads, Sai Sudharsan flicks it to deep backward square leg for a single.

Full again and on middle, Sai Sudharsan steps out of his crease and tucks it to mid-wicket.

WIDE! Fuller delivery, on middle, shaping down the leg side, Sai Sudharsan uses his feet but fails to clip it away. Wided.

Beauty! Bhuvneshwar Kumar begins with a good-length delivery, on middle, hits a crack and shapes away sharply. Sai Sudharsan has a poke at it from the crease but gets beaten on the outside edge. Right on the money from Bhuvi straightaway.

Not at all a bad start for the Titans. They need 244 runs from 114 balls. Bhuvneshwar Kumar will operate from the opposite end.

Pitched up and around off, Shubman Gill strides out and drills it wide of sweeper covers for a brace. 11 runs off the first over!

Much fuller and angling down the leg side, Shubman Gill looks to glance it away but misses as the ball goes through to the keeper, Jitesh Sharma. There is an appeal for a caught behind, but turned down. The umpire signals a wide, but Jitesh convinces his skipper to take the review as he reckons he heard a noise. The replay with UltraEdge shows a spike, but when the ball is next to the pad. So, the wide call has been overturned.

Follows the batter, hits the length hard, on leg, Shubman Gill does not have much room to work with and pats it back to the bowler.

Back of a length and on middle, Sai Sudharsan looks to pull it away, but gets an inside edge onto his pads as the ball rolls to point. A single taken.

FOUR! Two in two! Good-length delivery and around off, Sai Sudharsan takes a couple of steps out, drives it on the up from the meaty part of the bat. Once again, the timing is good as the extra cover fielder gets his right hand to it, but the ball still has enough wheels and races to the fence behind for another boundary. While taking the run, Sai slipped at the other end. Good for him that the ball went to the fence.

FOUR! Just how RCB started their innings! Jacob Duffy starts with a full delivery, on middle and leg. Sai Sudharsan brings his wrists into play and flicks it away with sublime timing through mid-wicket for a boundary. GT are up and running in the chase.

A couple of runs to end the innings! Prasidh Krishna bangs this into the pitch, on middle, takes pace off. Jitesh Sharma miscues his pull towards long on, but the batters have enough time to get the second run. Royal Challengers Bengaluru finish on 254/5!

Low full toss, on middle, Rajat Patidar lobs it towards long on for one. There will be no hundred for him, but this has been one of the best playoffs knocks of all time.

SIX! Down the ground and into the 90s goes Rajat Patidar! Much fuller and on middle, Rajat Patidar stays deep inside his crease, gets under the ball and tonks it over the bowler's head for a biggie. 250 UP FOR RCB.

Uppish but safe! Pitched up and around off, takes pace off, Jitesh Sharma swings wildly at it and it skews off the outside edge wide of backward point. Two fielders chase after it, with one of them pushing the ball back with a dive. The batters take two and then decide on the third as well. The throw comes in at the keeper's end, where Jos Buttler fails to collect the ball, with Patidar putting in a desperate dive.

Fuller and on middle and leg, angles in, Rajat Patidar backs away and lofts it towards long on for a single.

SIX! There is no stopping the RCB skipper! This is a gift, though, a full toss, angling into the pads. Easy pickings for Rajat Patidar as he whips it over the deep backward square leg fence for a biggie.

Final over left. RCB look well on course to breach the 250-run figure with the way Patidar is going about his business. And the Gujarat Titans have decided to use their Impact Sub option by bringing in Rahul Tewatia, while Kulwant Khejroliya has been subbed out. Prasidh Krishna (3-0-34-1) will bowl the last over.

SIX! 21 runs off the over! Mohammed Siraj misses the yorker and serves this right in the slot, on middle. Jitesh Sharma gets his front foot out of the way and launches it over the long on fence for half a dozen more. 250 is still on for RCB.

FOUR! Connects this time! Back of a length and just outside off, Jitesh Sharma throws his bat at it and scythes it through backward point for another boundary.

Hard-length delivery, on off, jags back in, Jitesh Sharma tries to punch it away but fails to connect.

Nails the yorker, on middle, angles in, Rajat Patidar forces it down to long on for a single.

FOUR! 10 off the first 2 balls! Fuller delivery, on middle, angling in, Rajat Patidar stays deep and shovels it off the inner half of the bat. He splits the gap perfectly between deep mid-wicket and long on for a boundary.

SIX! Perfect start to the over! A full toss, outside off, Rajat Patidar reaches out for it and slashes hard. His bottom hand comes off but he ends up slicing it over the deep point fence for a biggie.

OUT! CASTLED! The extra ball brings in a wicket for Prasidh Krishna. He goes fuller and on middle, good pace on it and just shapes in a touch. Tim David clears his front leg to slog it across the line but misses it completely and the ball rattles the stumps behind. RCB are 214/5, and Jitesh Sharma is the new batter in for them. Mohammed Siraj will bowl the penultimate over.

Despite a boundary, this has been a fine over from Krishna.

WIDE! Tries the bouncer, on middle, but too high for the batter, Tim David lets it go. Called a wide.

Fine yorker again, on off, Rajat Patidar can only dig it down to long off for one.

FOUR! Another misfield! Prasidh Krishna gets the yorker right again, on middle, angles in, Rajat Patidar tries to dig it out but gets an inside edge towards short fine. It is not far from the fielder, but Kulwant Khejroliya dives over the ball to his left and lets it through for a boundary. Gill is not happy with that effort and lets his frustration be known to the fielder, and rightly so.

Short of a length and on middle, Tim David heaves it to deep mid-wicket for another run.

In the blockhole, on middle and leg, tailing in as well, Rajat Patidar tucks it through square leg for a run.

Touch fuller and on off, Tim David knocks it towards mid off for a single.

WIDE! Good length but angling down the leg side, Tim David fails to flick it away. Wided.

Last 3 overs left in the first innings. Prasidh Krishna (2-0-24-0) is brought back on, replacing Rashid Khan.

Fuller and around off, Tim David jams it out towards the left of extra cover. Sai Sudharsan gets across and dives to cut it off. Just a single. 15 runs off the over.

Pitched up and on middle and leg, Rajat Patidar drills it to long on for one.

SIX! 200 UP FOR RCB! That is a shot worthy of being put in a museum. Kagiso Rabada hits the deck hard, just around off. Rajat Patidar gets on his toes, extends his arms and powers it over the deep extra cover fence for another biggie. Kohli's reaction in the hit says it all.

SIX! FIFTY FOR PATIDAR! Off just 21 balls. That's his 5th IPL half century. Short of a length and on off. Rajat Patidar picks up the length early and smokes it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie. Captain leading from the front for RCB, and this has been a special knock when it mattered the most.

Back of a length and around off, Tim David looks to push it away but gets an inside edge to the leg side for a single.

End of a highly entertaining 95-run stand. Rabada is the one who does the job again. In walks Tim David at number 6.

OUT! TAKEN! Kagiso Rabada gets a big wicket on his return to the attack. He bangs this into the pitch, on middle and leg, takes pace off. Krunal Pandya looks to pull it away but gets tucked up and cannot free his arms. It flies off the top edge towards deep mid-wicket, where Sai Sudharsan comes forward, takes it very low, but manages to hold on to it. Royal Challengers Bengaluru are 189/4 in 16.1 overs.

49 runs in the last 2 overs for RCB. Things are looking ominous again for the Titans and Kagiso Rabada (3-0-39-1) has been brought back on. He replaces Kulwant Khejroliya.

SIX! Into the stands! Flighted delivery, full and just outside off, keeping it away from the batter. Rajat Patidar extends his arms, hits through the line and carves it way over the deep extra cover fence for half a dozen more. 21 runs off the over and all Rashid can do is put on a wry smile.

A googly, full and around off, turns away, Krunal Pandya uses his feet and slices it over cover-point for one.

SIX! Krunal Pandya's turn now! Tossed up, full and on middle, in the slot this time. Pandya gets down on one knee and nails the slog sweep over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie.

Quicker and shorter, on middle, Rajat Patidar forces it down to long on for a run.

SIX! BOOM! Rashid Khan drops it short again and on off, Rajat Patidar opens up his stance and swats it down the ground. It goes off the bottom part of his, but he generates enough power to send it over long on for a biggie.

Floated, short and outside off, Krunal Pandya goes down and drags it to long on for a single.

Strategic Break! Gujarat Titans needed this break after that 28-run over. Suddenly, dropped catches and sloppiness in the field are creeping in for the Titans, and they have to be sharper in the last four overs. Shubman Gill needs to rally behind his players and calm themselves down as this last phase of this innings could make or break this game. GT desperately need to bring an end to this stand, while RCB, with all the firepower still left, will look to score well in excess of 200 now.  Rashid Khan (2-0-8-0) has been summoned into the attack to put on a lid.

FOUR! Kulwant has been taken to the cleaners. Juicy full toss, on middle and off. Rajat Patidar stands deep inside the crease and smokes it comfortably behind cow corner for a cracking six. 28 runs off the over. A huge momentum shift.

SIX! Goes all the way! This is turning out to be a very expensive over for GT. Kulwant Khejroliya seems to be a bit rattled now. Strays it onto the pads, on a fuller length. Easy pickings for Rajat as he whips it off his legs and dumps it behind the long leg fence for a six.

FOUR! He has picked the bones out of it! Slower ball, full and just outside off. Patidar reads it early, clears the front leg away and drills hard and flat down the ground, clearing Holder at mid off. Rashid sprints across from long on to his left and flings himself into a dive. Gets his hands on it, but as he attempts to release, he comes in contact with the ropes. The replays confirm the same.

NO BALL! Well bowled, but Kulwant has overstepped this time. A yorker on the stumps, Krunal Pandya carves it wide of mid off and cover for a single. Another Free Hit loading...

FOUR! Misfield. A schoolboy error by Nishant Sindhu and the misfields are bleeding across GT's players now. Gill is not happy with that at all, and understandably so. Short and fairly outside off. Patidar clears the front leg and cuts hard on the bounce to Sindhu at deep point. Nishant gets behind it, gets his hands on it, but cannot hold on as the ball spins past him into the fence.

WIDE! Misses the radar completely and sprays it far outside off, breaching the tramline. Krunal throws the kitchen sink at it to smash cut it behind point, but misses. Wide given.

FOUR! Into the gap! A high full toss, almost above the waist, on off. Krunal Pandya hops to deal with it and guides it between the backward point and short third fielders to pick up a boundary. The on-field umpires are checking whether it is above waist height and in fact, RCB have gone upstairs for a review. The Ball Tracking comes up with a side on angle. Krunal's waist measures 0.957 meters, but the ball comes at a height of 1.151 meters. So it is well above the waist and it is a No Ball. Free Hit coming up.

Tries the yorker, but it comes out as a low full toss, on middle. Patidar gets his front leg out of the way and heaves it off the inner half of the bat to deep mid-wicket for an easy single.

Overpitched, on off, with pace taken off by Khejroliya. Krunal smashes it to long off's right for a single.

Short in length, on top of middle and leg. Krunal Pandya arches back and plays the tennis forehand shot straight back at the bowler. The ball deflects off Krishna's right shin and rolls down the ground for a single.

Length ball, outside off, dabbed off the back foot, but straight to short third.

FOUR! Top shot! A low full toss, around off. Krunal Pandya opens the bat face at the point of contact and neatly slices it through the narrow gap between short third and backward point. The two fielders there are at almost an arm's distance, but the ball bisects them both and runs to the fence.

DROPPED! Kagiso Rabada is the guilty party and this was a much simpler chance than the previous one. Short and wide outside off. Patidar rocks back and pulls hard and flat. Rabada charges in from deep backward square, dives forward and gets both hands to it but cannot hold on. Chance down again and Gill cannot quite believe it. Patidar gets another lifeline. One taken.

FOUR! Nicely played! Too short from Prasidh, the off cutter on top of middle. Rajat Patidar waits and with no intentions to keep it down the ground, he goes for the pull shot. Gets a big top edge, but the ball flies over short fine leg for a boundary.

Straight up, but lands safe! In fact, put down in the deep. Just for a moment, it looked like Buttler and Kulwant were about to collide into each other. Fuller on the off stump, angling back in sharply. Patidar clears the front leg and swings hard across the line, but gets a thick top edge that spirals high behind the keeper. Kulwant Khejroliya is charging in from deep third to his left and flings himself full length, but the ball just eludes his fingertips. Buttler also tracks it from behind the stumps, closes in, but cannot quite get there either. Two taken.

An excellent over to snatch the momentum back. Prasidh Krishna needs to follow it up well now.

Yes, he can! Just three singles from it. Over the stump, full and on off. Rajat Patidar clears the front leg to heave it over mid-wicket. Only manages an inside edge and the ball is squirted past backward square leg for a single.

In-angler on a back of a length. Krunal stays back and pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a run. It's been a fantastic over so far from Kulwant. Can he finish it off well?

Beaten by bounce again! Just outside off, on a good length and stays considerably low to beat Krunal's attempted pull shot across the line. Sneaks below the inside edge and bounces back to the keeper.

Nearly chopped on! Slanted into the batter, shade fuller in length. Krunal Pandya backs away to hit it inside out over cover, but gets a massive inside edge onto the pads and the ball rolls on the pitch.

Good channel! In and around the off pole, on a length, jagging back in. Krunal Pandya covers the stumps and tries to guide it behind on the off side, but gets beaten on the outside edge by a whisker.

Starts off with a length ball, on off. Rajat Patidar looks to smoke it downtown, but hits it off the toe end and it barely breaches the inner ring. The mid off fielder moves to his right and the batters take a single.

Kulwant Khejroliya has been introduced into the attack now.

SIX! How has he played that? This is banged short and angled into the batter. Krunal Pandya shuffles a long way across to help it behind, gets nearly undone by the uneven bounce, but still manages to scoop it over the keeper's head for a six.

FOUR! Up and over! Krishna errs in line this time, as this is a juicy half-volley, on off, angling in from around the stump. Krunal Pandya chips it over Gill at mid off and the ball beats the GT skipper's chase.

And again! Length ball, outside off. Krunal swivels to pull, but gets beaten all ends up as the ball goes underground once again after landing on one of those cracks.

Oh, well bowled! Hits the hard length and gets the ball to jag back in and it almost dies on the batter. Rajat swings for the pull shot, but is beaten by the lack of bounce. Jos Buttler gets a bat bounce and parries it away to the right. They cross for a bye.

Short of a length, at 130.5 kph, across the batter. Krunal advances a bit and slashes it over point. Kagiso Rabada moves a bit to his right in the deep. Stops the ball, but since his momentum is taking him beyond the ropes, he manages to flick the ball into the playing area. Just a single.

Krishna starts with a hard-length delivery, outside off. Patidar presses back, lets the ball cut into him and then dabs it late in front of backward point for a single.

FOUR! Puts it away! A rare loosener tonight by Holder. Sprays it onto the pads, full in length. Pandya's head falls over, but he manages to whip it between short fine leg and square leg for a boundary. 13 runs off the over. But end of a superb spell from Holder. 4-0-39-2 for him.

From around the stump now. Closer to the bodyline, on off, on a length. Pandya hops to ride the bounce and eases it to backward point.

Hits the hard length, on top of off, at 132.5 kph. Rajat hangs back and stabs it wide of backward point for a single.

Full and outside off, angling away. Krunal forces the drive through extra cover for a run.

Around off, on a length, Rajat dabs it late to deep third and crosses over for a single.

SIX! PUNISHED! Short of a length, on top of middle. Rajat Patidar arches back, tranfers the weight on the back foot and nails the pull shot behind deep mid-wicket for a flat six.

Halfway through the first innings. The Titans have roared back in the contest with two quick wickets. Just 7 runs have come from the last 2 overs. Jason Holder (3-0-26-2) will bowl out.

Another short delivery, on off, Rajat Patidar pulls it to deep mid-wicket for one.

Sloppy! Darts in a yorker, on middle, Krunal Pandya jams it back towards the bowler, where Rashid lets it through his legs for a run.

Fires this one full, on middle, Krunal Pandya drills it back to the bowler.

Flatter, full and around off, skids through a bit, Krunal Pandya goes down for the sweep but misses.

Goes short again, on middle and off, Krunal Pandya defends it on the back foot.

Shorter in length and on middle, Rajat Patidar punches it down to long on for a single.

Short and outside off again, Krunal Pandya slaps it wide of sweeper cover for a brace.

Hard length and outside off, angling away, Krunal Pandya misses out on the cut.

GT needed something to break this momentum and they got through Holder. He has been reliable in this middle phase for the Titans and is proving just so again. 93/1 becomes 94/3 for RCB. And Krunal Pandya is the new man in at number 5.

OUT! EDGED AND GONE! Jason Holder has turned this game on its head with a double strike. From over the wicket, he bowls this on a good length and in the channel outside off, gets it to move away a bit too. Devdutt Padikkal gets stuck in his crease and opens his bat face to try and run it down to third man, but ends up getting a slight nick behind, where Jos Buttler makes no mistake. There is a big appeal, and after a bit of thinking, the umpire raises his finger. Holder is off again, but Padikkal takes a review after a chat with his partner. UltraEdge shows a big spike, confirming the edge. RCB lose both set batters and a review as well.

On a length and on leg, Rajat Patidar clips it through mid-wicket for a run.

Spot on, Haydos. For those wondering, when Ravi Shastri asked him on air about the pitch, just before the previous ball was bowled, GT's batting coach Matthew Hayden reckons that it looks a bit two-paced to him. Though he feels it has played well. He details that the odd one has come back in to trouble the batters, and expects that those cracks will come into play as the ball gets older. Rajat Patidar is the new batter in at number 4.

OUT! DRAGGED ON! Jason Holder strikes gold for the Titans. The West Indian gets Kohli again this season, and in almost identical fashion too. A real sense of deja vu as he once again wins that battle. He lands this short of a length and around off, holds up on the surface a bit and comes back in a touch. Virat Kohli stays back and looks to heave across the line, but only manages to get an inside edge back onto the stumps. Holder is off in celebration, and no one can catch him. Massive wicket in the context of this game, as Kohli trudges off after a quick cameo. RCB are 93/2.

Back of a length and around leg, Devdutt Padikkal backs away and pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Although this venue has the lowest success rate for the spinners, as per the on-air graphic, this was a much better over from GT's pov. Jason Holder (2-0-22-0) to bowl three in a row.

Quicker, full and on leg, Devdutt Padikkal works it to deep backward square leg for one more. Just 6 runs off the Rashid's first over!

Goes short again, on middle, Virat Kohli flicks it off the back foot through square leg for one.

Drags his length back, on middle, Devdutt Padikkal swipes it off the inner half of the bat to deep square leg for another run.

A loopy full toss, on middle, Virat Kohli drills it a bit uppishly down the pitch. Rashid Khan sticks out his right foot but does not make any contact as the ball crashes onto the stumps at the bowler's end and deflects away. They cross.

Flatter, short and on leg, Devdutt Padikkal stays back to clip it away but misses and the ball goes off his pads to the off side. Kohli calls him for the leg bye, and he responds. Buttler quickly moves to the ball, turns around and throws it at the bowler's end but misses, with Paddikal having to hurry a bit.

Floated, short and around off, Virat Kohli moves back and punches it to sweeper cover for a single.

Righto. Time for Rashid to roll his arm over? Absolutely. Rashid Khan replaces Kagiso Rabada.

Hits the deck hard and around leg, Devdutt Padikkal nudges it off his hips wide of deep backward square leg for a brace.

A slower one, full and outside off, Virat Kohli moves a bit too far to the leg side. He reaches out and jams it through covers for one.

Good length and around leg, Devdutt Padikkal makes room, opens the bat face and guides it to deep third for another run.

Pitched up and on middle, angling in, Virat Kohli drills it off the bottom half of the bat towards long on for a run.

FOUR! Gets it away! Jason Holder sees the batter backing away, follows him by banging this into the pitch, angling into the leg stump. Virat Kohli does not have that much room but he still manages to swivel and heave it away to the deep square leg fence for a boundary.

Short of a length and around leg, Devdutt Padikkal gets inside the line to pull but gets hurried. His bottom hand comes off the bat and he mistimes the shot towards square leg for a single.

STRATEGIC BREAK! Let's take a breather, shall we? Well, more than us, the Titans need this break to recalibrate, as their premier bowlers have been taken apart in the Powerplay. Venkatesh Iyer came out with intent but couldn't stay for long. However, that hasn't slowed down the defending champions one bit, with Padikkal and Kohli batting with an attacking mindset. It's a fantastic batting wicket, just that the odd one has misbehaved while landing on the cracks. GT need to break this partnership to bring some balance to the game. Rashid Khan's introduction isn't that far, one assumes. But for now, Jason Holder to continue after the break. 1-0-12-0 so far.

On a length and on off, Virat Kohli takes a couple of steps out and knocks it to the left of the bowler. 14 runs off the over, and RCB are 76/1 at the end of the Powerplay!

SIX! Goes all the way! A well-directed bumper from Rabada, on middle, takes off a bit. Virat Kohli tries to heave it across the line, but the ball gets big on him. It takes the top edge and flies over the keeper's head for a biggie. It has either been a boundary or a dot in this over. The brings up the 50-run partnership in super-quick time between this pair.

Excellent response! Back of a length and on middle, jags back in a long way, Virat Kohli looks to play at it from the crease, but gets cut in half as the ball zips past the inside edge.

FOUR! Cracking shot! Short of a length and around off, not short enough to trouble someone like Virat. He gets on top of the bounce, rolls his wrists and pulls it away to the deep mid-wicket fence for another boundary.

Good length and on middle, nips back in sharply, Virat Kohli gets rushed and tucks it to the leg side. He sets off for the run but is sent back just in time.

FOUR! The runs just keep flowing! Fuller delivery, on middle, angling in a bit. Virat Kohli uses his wrists to slog it across the line. Not from the middle of the bat, but he gets enough to clear mid-wicket for a boundary.

Overthrows! Good length, angling in from off. Kohli plays it under his eyes and knocks it in front of the cover fielder and calls Padikkal through for a single. Washington Sundar attacks the ball, picks it up and throws in a motion but misses his shy at the bowling end, and with no proper backup on the leg side, the ball races away to the fence. A chance of run out, missed by Sundar as well. This will only add to GT's frustrations. But had the throw hit, Kohli would have been in genuine trouble. Oh my days, the replay shows that Kohli was out by a country mile.

The length is pulled back by a yard or so from Holder, and this lands on the crack and cuts into the batter. Devdutt Padikkal positions himself for a square cut, but ends up chopping it in front of short third for a single.

Length ball, around off, Padikkal dabs it behind to short third.

FOUR! That's literally slapped away! Short by Holder, slanting across the batter. Padikkal backs away, gives himself some room and pulls it between mid on and mid-wicket for a cracking boundary. Padikkal has accessed all the parts of the ground in his brief 9-ball stay. He moves to 22.

Angles the ball into the batter, touch full, Virat wrists it to the right of mid-wicket for a single.

Oh, cuts in from a good length, on top of middle. Devdutt Padikkal is rushed on the back foot. Hops a bit and manages to chop it away to backward point for a quick single. On target from Holder.

Change? Yes, Jason Holder replaces Mohammed Siraj.

On a back of a length, on leg, Padikkal stays in the crease and tucks it to deep backward square leg for a single. 50 UP FOR RCB! In just 4 overs. They are throttling nicely here.

FOUR! Geez, that's surreal! Hits the length hard, outside off. Devdutt Padikkal weighs on the back foot and nails the square cut through backward point and the ball travels to the ropes in a flash.

FOUR MORE! Top shot! Not a bad ball at all from Rabada. Smidge full and nipping away from the left-hander. Devdutt Padikkal meets the ball right under his eyes, opens the bat face and runs it through short third for a boundary.

FOUR! He has timed that so, so well! Short of a length, on the leg stump. Devdutt Padikkal hops on the toes and just glances it to the right of deep backward square leg for a boundary.

Nips in from middle and skids through the deck. Virat Kohli pushes at the delivery and gets a thick inside edge. The ball rolls through square leg for a single.

FOUR! Helped away! Easy pickings for Kohli as he just flicks this full ball angling into him. Uses his wrists to angle it behind square on the leg side for a four at deep fine leg. Played more off the inside edge though.

FOUR! Handsomely played! Pitched up slightly, just outside off. Devdutt Padikkal presses ahead and lofts it over mid off to pick up his first runs and boundary.

Another appeal for LBW, and again the finger stays down. The length is pulled back just slightly by Siraj, on the leg stump and it skids through the deck as well. This hurries Padikkal on the back foot as he attempts to play across the line. Ends up playing all over it and is hit on the pads.

A big appeal for LBW, but not given. Shubman Gill has a chat with the keeper and the bowler but eventually decides not to go upstairs. Swings back in from the leg stump line, on a fuller length. Devdutt Padikkal tiptoes forward, trying to negate the swing and looks to whip it off the pads, but plays all over and is beaten on the inside edge, getting struck on the front pad. Probably the ball is pitching outside leg by the looks of it.

Attacks the pads, on a fuller length. Virat Kohli goes for the flick shot, but gets a bit of an inside edge onto the pads. The ball rolls behind square on the leg side and they cross over.

Hard length, outside off. Kohli opens the bat face and steers it to deep backward point for a couple of runs.

FOUR! Kohli special! Touch fuller, just around off, Virat Kohli springs out of his crease, gets under the ball and pumps it over the mid off fielder for a classy boundary.

Early blow for RCB. Devdutt Padikkal walks out to bat at number 3.

OUT! TAKEN! Rabada responds strongly and this is his 18th Powerplay wicket this season, according to Ian Bishop on air. Rabada keeps bashing the hard length, and keeps the line of attack on the off pole. Venkatesh Iyer tries to play the pull shot, but loses his shape a bit and the extra bounce means that the ball gets sliced over mid off. Shubman Gill turns around to his left, backtracks some yards and takes a fine catch while running. Rabada ends Venkatesh Iyer's fun and RCB are 21/1 after 2 overs.

SIX! That's some improvisation from Venkatesh! Fuller than a length, on the middle and leg stump line. Venkatesh Iyer uses the pace of the ball, shuffles across and scoops it over deep fine leg for the first six of the game.

In-between length, around off. Virat attempts to dab it away, but chops it off the inside edge to the slip cordon for a single.

Jaffa from Rabada! Good-length delivery and this one cuts in sharply from outside off. Virat Kohli looks to knock it away, but is cut in half and the ball beats the inside edge.

Beaten again! Back of a length with some extra bounce, on off. Kohli tries to pull off the back foot, but is hurried and is beaten.

Swing and a miss! Good pace and carry for Rabada first up. Hits the deck hard, and generates a good bit of lift, outside off. Virat Kohli tries to play the back foot punch through the off side, but the ball bounces over his angled bat.

A productive start for RCB. Kagiso Rabada will share the new ball. According to Ian Bishop on air, he is the leading wicket-taker in the Powerplay this season, with 17 wickets.

Tap and run! Straightens off the pitch, on a good length, in the channel of off. Virat Kohli plays from the crease, close to his body and dabs it between cover and point for a quick run. 14 runs off the first over.

Quick run! Hard length, on top of off. Venkatesh Iyer hangs back and taps it to the point region and pinches in a single.

FOUR! Goodness me, that's so well struck! Not a half volley by any stretch of imagination, just a couple of yards behind the fuller length, around off. Venkatesh Iyer plays it on the rise and cracks the drive to the right of mid off for a boundary. Three wonderful strokes from Venkatesh already to get RCB going.

Back of a length, on off, Iyer stands tall and knocks it to cover-point.

FOUR MORE! This time, with a lot more intent from Iyer! The length is pushed further up, full and shaping in from middle. Venkatesh Iyer detects the length and advances down the track. Heaves it off the inner half of the bat, but puts it between the mid-wicket and mid on gap for a boundary. The outfield is blazing quick and it races to the fence within a blink.

FOUR! High quality shot to get off the mark! Siraj bowls it on a length, around the off pole. Venkatesh Iyer lets the ball arrive, presses on the back foot and punches it solidly between cover and point for a boundary to get RCB underway right away.

All in readiness for Qualifier 1! The stage is set beautifully with the majestic Himalayas standing tall in the backdrop, adding even more grandeur to this massive occasion. Former India cricketer and current BCCI President, Mithun Manhas has the honour of ringing the bell to signal the arrival of the players. The two umpires now make their way out to the middle, followed by an upbeat Gujarat Titans outfit led by Shubman Gill, spreading out swiftly to take their positions in the field. Out walk the two Royal Challengers Bengaluru openers, Venkatesh Iyer and Virat Kohli, to a thunderous roar from the crowd. It will be Mohammed Siraj, fired up against his former side, with the new ball in hand. A bit of a delay due to an issue with the sightscreen. It has finally been resolved. Let's play...

Let's unpack the toss - Strange bit of selection from both camps. Kulwant Khejroliya, the 34-year-old seamer from Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, who hasn't played a single game this season, has been swapped in by GT. That's a straight replacement for Arshad Khan, though. A left-arm pacer replaces the fellow left-arm pacer. Whereas there's no Phil Salt yet for RCB, and they are going with only 3 overseas players. With Shepherd and Suyash in the impact list, it is probably the latter who will be preferred over the former when they come to bowl, we assume.

Impact Sub options for GT - Rahul Tewatia, Glenn Phillips, Anuj Rawat, Kumar Kushagra and Sai Kishore.

Gujarat Titans (Playing XI) - Shubman Gill (C), Sai Sudharsan, Nishant Sindhu, Jos Buttler (WK), Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Kulwant Khejroliya (In for Arshad Khan), Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna.

Impact Sub options for RCB - Romario Shepherd, Suyash Sharma, Kanishk Chouhan, Abhinandan Singh and Jordan Cox.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI) - Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (C), Venkatesh Iyer, Krunal Pandya, Tim David, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Jacob Duffy (In place of Romario Shepherd) and Rasikh Salam.

The captain of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru - Rajat Patidar says he would have bowled first, too. Details that it is hard and dry underneath and expect the ball to come nicely on the bat. He reckons that the pitch won't change much throughout the match. On the prospect of going straight to the final by winning the Qualifier, Patidar says it would be a great outcome, but the focus stays on one game at a time. The priority, he stresses, is about giving their best in this fixture. On the journey so far, he says RCB have played good cricket and are leaning into their strengths. When asked about the pitch, Patidar notes there is no grass cover, making it a surface that should be a pleasant one to bat on.

The captain of the Gujarat Titans - Shubhman Gill says that it looks like a good wicket. Adds that they have seen on this ground, there is a bit of dew in the second innings, so it's better to have a total on the board and chase it down later on. Gill mentions that this game is all about taking out the equation. Says they have played some really good cricket so far and hopefully continue to do so. Gill shares that he has played a lot of junior level cricket at this venue and calls it one of the most prettiest grounds in world cricket. Informs that they have made one change with Kulwant Khejroliya replacing Arshad Khan.

TOSS - Time for the coin to go up in Dharamshala. Both captains - Rajat Patidar and Shubman Gill - have made their way out and share the pleasantries. Ravi Shastri is set to lead the proceedings with the glittering IPL trophy beside him, and the fantastic snowcapped hills in the backdrop just make it look extremely pretty. Tails is the call from Gill, and he calls it right. Gujarat Titans have elected to BOWL first.

Time to listen to RCB's star seamer - Josh Hazlewood, on being asked whether it feels different coming into the playoffs this year, says the status of being defending champions is something that comes up regularly in conversations, with the hunters vs the hunted narrative a constant presence. Adds that the mood within the camp is measured rather than burdened. It's been business as usual, he says. On the question of whether it is training or messaging that has shifted, Hazlewood reckons it is probably a bit of both. He points out the difficulty of working on skills during a tournament where games come thick and fast, and recovery takes precedence. Stresses that, as a fast bowler, finding time on the training paddock to genuinely work on things is a challenge. So he says that the bigger adjustment has been in how the group communicates, with regular check-ins to keep everyone on the same page. On his partnership with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hazlewood says the combination is a handy one. Details that while coming in to bowl the second over, he often finds himself facing number three and four batters, which means the homework on openers can sometimes wait. He is full of praise for Bhuvi, noting that he is still leading the wicket takers' charts and that his economy has been exceptional too. About dismantling GT's top order, Hazlewood underlines that they have done the bulk of their scoring through their top three all tournament, and those are class players. The plan, he says, is straightforward to string dots together, build pressure, and take early wickets.

GT's premier pacer - Kagiso Rabada says that the ball is coming out really well, and it is pretty evident. Adds that he is happy with how things are going thus far, but now it is time for the final push, and he hopes it keeps happening his way. Mentions that he decides on the variations in the moment and lets his instincts take over. Some planning is obviously done, but it is about reacting and adapting to what's happening in that situation. Rabada shares that both attacks are good, the opening combination of both teams has done well, and calls it a fire vs fire battle. Says that you just have to perform to your best strengths and ability, and hopefully end up on the right side of the result. Ends by saying that his parents came over last night to celebrate his birthday and saw how beautiful Dharamshala is as a place to play cricket.

PITCH REPORT - Graeme Swann is pitchside. He calls this one of the most beautiful grounds in world cricket.  Says that the square boundaries are 63 meters each and the straight hit is 73 meters. Adds that this has a lot of small pockets with the slog corner being 58 meters. Mentions that he has observed a few cracks on the surface but it is rock hard and he thinks it will be good for the batters. AB de Villiers joins him and says that those cracks mean nothing and calls it a road. Shares that except for one score of 199, all others have been in excess of 200 but feels the batters even slipped and could have scored more in some of those. He reckons it will be a high-scoring game with 220 being par. Adds that there will be some nerves but teams have that extra incentive of getting another chance. Ends by saying that with how modern cricket is being played, long batting lineups and Impact Player in the mix, he would definitely chase here.

What do the records say? In IPL's history, the teams finishing on top have gone on to win the title just six times, while teams finishing in second spot have done so on nine occasions. For RCB, this is their 11th playoff appearance, joint-second alongside MI and only behind CSK in that particular hall of consistency. The Royal Challengers have gone the distance to the final four times out of those, and last season, they finally made that final count. As for the Gujarat Titans, in their brief but breathless IPL existence, this is their fourth playoff qualification in five seasons. Two of those times, they made it all the way to the final. This will be their first-ever game in Dharamshala, while RCB have won two out of three here overall. And with an IPL head-to-head record locked at 4-4, there could not be more parity between these two sides. With all said, stay tuned for the all-important toss and team updates.

The King vs The Prince - One has already written the book. The other is halfway through his own chapter. It is always a massive talking point when two different generations of batting mastery share the same stage. On one side stands Virat Kohli, the undisputed king of this tournament, the leading run-scorer in IPL history and the heartbeat of RCB with over 9200 runs to his name. On the other hand, Shubman Gill has been convincingly building his own empire, being the highest run-getter in GT's history and second only to his own teammate Sai Sudharsan in the runs chart this season.

The attack is locked and loaded - While batting is largely the centre of the highlight and success for most teams this year, some of the finest bowlers in the league share this stage tonight. Where Siraj and Rabada have been ruling the Powerplay with relentless accuracy and that trademark aggression, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood bring their own ruthless brand of craft at the other end. These four blokes alone share 560 IPL wickets among them, and when that kind of experience walks onto a Dharamshala surface, the batting side had better have answers ready. But the second line of attack is no slouch either. Rashid Khan, the sixth-highest wicket-taker among spinners in IPL and GT's all-time leading man with the ball in terms of wickets, will be weaving his web on one side. On the other hand, Suyash Sharma and Krunal Pandya bring the kind of unpredictability that keeps batters guessing all the time. And the tone gets set early. GT have been the most potent Powerplay bowling unit this season with 30 wickets in that phase, while RCB sit just a breath behind with 28.

Identical records, contrasting philosophies - Look at the points table and their journeys, and the parallels are almost eerie. Both ended their league stage with 18 points, the same number of wins and defeats. Both have ridden almost identical waves of form through the season. Both have fallen in love with chasing. Where RCB have won six of their nine games doing so, GT have won five of theirs in that regard. It is only the net run rate that serves as the currency of difference between these two giants, with the defending champions edging it by the slimmest of margins. But peel the layers back, and these two could not be more different breeds. RCB are the ones who show up to a knife fight with a flamethrower. Loud, explosive, and built to make your jaw drop. GT are the ones who show up having already studied the knife. Calm, composed, and built to make you regret underestimating them. One plays cricket that belongs on a poster. The other plays cricket that belongs in a textbook. And somehow, both have been equally devastating for anyone who stood in their way.

Only the bold reach Valhalla - ‘Don't waste your time looking back. You are not going that way.’ Ragnar Lothbrok, a Viking warlord, once gave this iconic grounding mantra. Tonight, there is no looking back for either side. The road to the Grand Finale passes through the snowcapped Dhauladhar ranges this time. But as scenic as those peaks look and as beautifully as those mountains cradle the HPCA Stadium, the challenge to conquer this fort is far from easy. Hello, and a warm welcome to our coverage of the Qualifier 1 fixture of the IPL 2026 season. It's a gigantic clash in the making as the table toppers Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on the second-seated Gujarat Titans in Dharamshala.

... MATCH DAY ...

Bring on the Playoffs - The road to the final narrows sharply as top-of-the-table Royal Challengers Bengaluru lock horns with second-placed Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 of the 2026 Indian Premier League in Dharamsala. With a direct berth in the final on the line and the safety net of a second chance for the loser, this contest is less about desperation and more about execution under pressure. RCB arrive as league leaders after a season of sustained consistency, while GT enter the playoffs carrying the aura of a side built for high-pressure cricket. The importance of Qualifier 1 - Finishing in the top two gives both teams a massive tactical advantage, and even defeat here does not end the campaign. But momentum and psychology matter. The winner gets valuable recovery time ahead of the final, while the loser must survive another knockout clash in Qualifier 2. Historically, teams winning Qualifier 1 have enjoyed a significantly higher conversion rate into titles (12 wins in 15 seasons featuring the Qualifier format so far), making this arguably the most important non-final match of the season. RCB gunning for back-to-back titles - RCB’s 2026 campaign has been defined by control rather than chaos. Under captaincy from Rajat Patidar, they have evolved into a side that no longer depends solely on superstar batting. Their bowling attack has often set the tone, while the batting lineup has shown adaptability across conditions. RCB also finished the league stage at the summit despite a heavy final-day defeat, highlighting the consistency they maintained across the season. The batting core still revolves around Virat Kohli and explosive starts from Phil Salt or, more recently, Venkatesh Iyer, but what has strengthened RCB is middle-order depth. Players like Tim David and Rajat Patidar have often transformed solid positions into dominant totals, with Devdutt Padikkal acting as a crucial cog between the openers and the middle order batting at number 3. If RCB get through the Powerplay without damage, they become extremely difficult to contain in the second half of an innings. Bowling has arguably been RCB’s biggest gain this season. The combination of Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Rasikh Salam gives them new-ball control and death-over experience, while spin options provide flexibility in the middle overs. Their ability to break partnerships rather than simply contain scoring has made them one of the tournament’s most complete sides. However, Hazlewood has looked a bit undercooked in the last few games, and RCB will hope that he steps up in the big games. GT's terrifying consistency - GT, however, feel tailor-made for knockout cricket. Led by Shubman Gill, they have built their campaign on efficiency, rarely flashy but relentlessly effective. They may not have always dominated opponents, yet they have consistently found ways to win key moments. In just their 5th season in the IPL, they have made it to the playoffs for a fourth time, reaching two finals and winning the title in their debut season as well. At the top, Gill’s ability to pace innings will be crucial against RCB’s disciplined seam attack. If Gujarat get a fluent start, their middle order can attack freely rather than rebuild. GT’s batting has often been strongest when they avoid early collapses and allow their finishers to target specific matchups late in the innings. Both of their openers - Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan - have each scored in excess of 600 runs this season, and even Jos Buttler seems to be peaking at the right time, making GT's top three arguably the most prolific this season. Their bowling remains the side’s greatest playoff weapon. The Titans traditionally thrive because of their ability to squeeze games tactically, using pace variations, middle-over control, and defensive fields intelligently. If they can force RCB into risk-taking after the Powerplay, they could expose a middle order that has occasionally looked vulnerable against sustained pressure, allowing the likes of Rashid Khan and Jason Holder to come into the mix. With the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj in prime form, the first 6 overs will dictate GT's performance with the ball. Challenges for both sides - For RCB, the biggest question is whether they return to their aggressive identity after ending the league stage with a disappointing loss. Their best cricket this season has come when they dictate tempo rather than react. For Gujarat, the challenge is different - can they prevent RCB’s batting from controlling the middle overs? GT excel when matches remain within reach, entering the death phase. Venue and historical context - The HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala has seen three league matches played this season, all of which were high-scoring, and the average first innings score this season has been around 210. Teams batting second generally have the better chance of winning, but RCB are the only team that have defended a total successfully here in 2026. However, that was a day game, in which the dew didn't play a role, and RCB even managed to score in excess of 220 runs. The general consensus will be to win the toss and chase, even though runs on the board in a knockout game could be invaluable at times. Moving on to the head-to-head record between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans, it currently stands at 4 wins apiece in the 8 encounters so far, and even the record for this season is 1-1 as both teams managed to win at home against the other. The Dharamsala track will suit both bowling sides, probably GT a bit more. Form (Last 5 completed games, recent first) - RCB - LWWWL | GT - WLWWW. Predictions? On form across the league stage, RCB deserve marginal favouritism after finishing top and showing greater squad balance, especially having a much more prolific middle order. But the Gujarat Titans are one of those teams that tend to grow stronger as the stakes rise, and if their top 3 fire, they won't even need much contribution from that shaky middle order. This has all the ingredients of an exciting and tense playoff clash rather than a one-sided shootout. Who do you think will be the first finalist of IPL 2026?