Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru retained the Indian Premier League title after defeating Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the final at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday night.
The victory marked Bengaluru’s second consecutive IPL crown and reinforced their growing dominance in the tournament, with Virat Kohli once again producing a decisive performance on the biggest stage.
Asked to bat first, Gujarat Titans posted 155 for eight in their allotted 20 overs.
Washington Sundar top-scored with an unbeaten 50 off 37 deliveries and provided stability after Gujarat lost momentum during the innings. Bengaluru’s disciplined bowling attack kept pressure throughout the contest.
For Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rasikh Salam Dar delivered a crucial spell and claimed three wickets, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood picked up two wickets each.
In reply, Bengaluru comfortably chased the target, reaching 161 for five in 18 overs.
Virat Kohli anchored the chase with an unbeaten 75 off 42 balls, guiding the side home with authority and sealing the victory with a six. His innings earned him the Player of the Match award.
RCB captain Rajat Patidar later credited head coach Andy Flower and a transformed team culture for the franchise’s sustained success and said the side would now look toward achieving a third consecutive title.
The season also witnessed emergence of teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
The 15-year-old batter rewrote record books by winning the Orange Cap with 776 runs and becoming the youngest recipient of the award at just 15 years and 65 days of age.
Sooryavanshi further swept multiple honours, securing Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker of the Season with a strike rate of 237.3 and Super Sixes of the Season with 72 sixes.
Kagiso Rabada claimed the Purple Cap with 29 wickets during the season.
Among other awards, Manish Pandey received the Catch of the Season award for his stunning dismissal of Tim David at backward point, while Mohammed Siraj was recognized for bowling the highest number of dot balls, delivering 172 across the season.
Sai Sudharsan was awarded for striking the most fours, finishing with 75 boundaries.
The 2026 IPL season concluded with Bengaluru successfully defending their crown and a new generation of players leaving a strong imprint on the tournament.
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