RCB’s Road to Final: Explosive start set the tone
RCB began their campaign with an emphatic six-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the season opener in Bengaluru. In what turned out to be an early sign of the batting madness that defined IPL 2026, SRH piled up 201/9, only for RCB to chase it down comfortably in the 16th over.
Virat Kohli anchored the chase with an unbeaten 69 off 38 balls, while the aggressive batting approach immediately showed the intent with which RCB planned to play the season.
The campaign gathered further momentum in the Southern Derby against Chennai Super Kings. Batting first at home, RCB smashed 250/3, with Tim David hammering an unbeaten 70 off just 25 balls. CSK fought hard with 207 in reply, but RCB still cruised to a commanding 43-run victory.
Their first setback came in Guwahati against Rajasthan Royals. Despite posting another 200-plus total, RCB ran into teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, whose explosive 26-ball 78 helped RR chase down the target with two overs to spare.
However, the defeat did little to disrupt RCB’s rhythm.
They bounced back with consecutive wins over Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants. At the Wankhede Stadium, RCB piled up 240/4 before restricting MI to 225/5 in a high-scoring thriller. Against LSG, they showcased their bowling strength by bowling the visitors out for 146.
Those victories also helped RCB build a healthy net run rate, which later proved crucial in the standings.
Patidar leads from the front in Qualifier 1
RCB then delivered their most complete performance of the season in Qualifier 1 against Gujarat Titans.
Skipper Rajat Patidar produced a sensational captain’s knock, blasting 93 off just 33 balls with nine towering sixes to power RCB to a massive 254/5.
The bowlers then completed the job clinically, bundling out GT for 162 to secure a crushing 92-run victory and book RCB’s place in their fifth IPL final.
More importantly, the performance reinforced why RCB have been the standout team of the season. Their batting has been fearless, the bowling disciplined and the leadership composed under pressure.
Now, with momentum firmly on their side and confidence soaring, RCB head into the IPL 2026 final looking ready to successfully defend their title.
RCB’s top performers in IPL 2026
Top 5 Batters:
- Virat Kohli: M 15 | R 600 | HS 105 | Ave. 50.00 | SR 164.38 | 100s/50s 1/4
- Rajat Patidar: M 14 | R 486 | HS 93 | Ave. 44.18 | SR 196.76 | 100s/50s 0/5
- Devdutt Padikkal: M 14 | R 463 | HS 61 | Ave. 35.62 | SR 170.84 | 100s/50s 0/3
- Tim David: M 15 | R 281 | HS 70 | Ave. 35.13 | SR 193.79 | 100s/50s 0/1
- Krunal Pandya: M 15 | R 225 | HS 73 | Ave. 45.00 | SR 147.05 | 100s/50s 0/1
Top 5 Bowlers:
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar: M 15 | W 26 | Best 4/23 | Ave. 18.15 | Econ. 8.00
- Rasikh Dar: M 11 | W 16 | Best 4/24 | Ave. 23.62 | Econ. 9.73
- Krunal Pandya: M 15 | W 13 | Best 2/16 | Ave. 30.92 | Econ. 8.64
- Josh Hazlewood: M 12 | W 13 | Best 4/12 | Ave. 35.15 | Econ. 9.62
- Suyash Sharma: M 12 | W 9 | Best 2/47 | Ave. 41.77 | Econ. 9.20