A rousing 5-wicket victory was scored by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), chasing down a formidable target of 206 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Though it was the young Sai Sudharsan of GT hitting a stunning century to start, it was the seasoned brilliance of Virat Kohli and the explosive flair of Devdutt Padikkal that saw the Bengaluru faithful leave the stadium in euphoria.
Sai Sudharsan’s Lone Warrior Act
Gujarat Titans, after being asked to bat first, posted a massive 205/3 in 20 overs. They hit off just 58 balls and got the title for their innings ahead of Sai Sudharsan for his third IPL century. Sudharsan's knock was both a classic drive and an imaginative lofted shot with 11 fours and 5 sixes.
A strike rate of 172.41, in which he kept the innings under control and supported it well with Shubman Gill (32) and a late appearance from Jason Holder (23* off 10). But critics later pointed out that Titans' momentum had slowed considerably in the death overs (17 runs between the 17th and 19th overs), a lull that would be fatal in due course.
The Kohli-Padikkal Onslaught
The chase started with an early hiccup for RCB as they lost Jacob Bethell in a flash, but that was the only respite for the Gujarat bowlers. When Virat Kohli got dropped off the very first ball he faced, it drove the Titans to pay dearly. Led by Devdutt Padikkal, Kohli arranged a clinical unravelling of the GT bowling attack.
The pair enjoyed a scorching 100-run partnership that stole the game from the visiting side. Padikkal was the early aggressor, breaking a 20-ball fifty (one of the fastest of the season) and completing a destructive 55 off 27 balls, with six towering sixes draped on top. Kohli, meanwhile, perfectly played anchor-aggressor.
He hit his own half-century in 30 balls and went on to score 81 off 44 balls, including 8 fours and 4 sixes. With surgical precision, he manipulated the field and discovered gaps that others like Rashid Khan and Kagiso Rabada couldn’t see.
A Remarkable End
Although a rush of wickets towards the end, when both set batters fell in quick succession, the destruction had been done. RCB had to be just over 50 runs when Kohli left, and the lower order, with Tim David and Rajat Patidar guiding the way, left no time for stuttering. RCB crossed the finish line, with seven balls still open, finishing at 206/5 in 18.5 overs.
This win means RCB now finish at number two in the points standings for IPL 2026, while Gujarat Titans have to watch their chances missed and the mid-innings lull they have the opportunity to bring.
On a night when 400+ runs were scored, the experienced shoulders of Virat Kohli and the youthful exuberance of Padikkal ultimately did the dirty work in ruining Sai Sudharsan’s century party.
