Gujarat Titans secured a four-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Ahmedabad, chasing down 155 after restricting RCB to 155 all out. Jason Holder played a central role in the result, contributing to five dismissals as GT gained control of the contest.
The chase appeared straightforward for Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan, but early setbacks in the powerplay exposed vulnerabilities in the middle order. Contributions from Holder (12 off 10) and Impact Player Rahul Tewatia (27* off 17) ultimately ensured GT crossed the line, handing defending champions RCB their third defeat of IPL 2026.
Rabada and Siraj Set the Tone
RCB began aggressively after being put in to bat, with Virat Kohli taking on Kagiso Rabada in the second over, striking four consecutive boundaries. He followed it up by attacking Mohammed Siraj, sending him for another boundary.
However, Rabada responded in the fourth over, inducing a top edge from Kohli (28 off 13) that was taken at midwicket. Earlier, Siraj had dismissed Jacob Bethell, who was playing in place of the injured Phil Salt, for 5. The pair bowled through the powerplay, limiting RCB to 59 for 2.
Holder Dominates Middle Overs
Devdutt Padikkal and Rajat Patidar added 44 runs for the third wicket before Holder dismissed the RCB captain at deep square leg. The catch led to some debate, with replays suggesting possible uncertainty, but the TV umpire ruled in favour of the dismissal.
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Holder remained heavily involved thereafter. He removed Jitesh Sharma in the ninth over and took catches to dismiss Tim David (9) and Krunal Pandya (4). He also picked up his second wicket by dismissing Romario Shepherd.
Padikkal continued to score freely despite the wickets falling, finishing as RCB’s top scorer with 40 off 24 balls before Rashid Khan bowled him with a slider.
At 126 for 7, RCB introduced Venkatesh Iyer as their Impact Player, sacrificing a specialist bowler. Iyer struggled to find rhythm and was struck on the elbow, but his 29-run stand with Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the ninth wicket helped push the total to 155. RCB were bowled out with four deliveries remaining.
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Arshad Khan impressed with the ball, returning figures of 3 for 22 in 3.2 overs.
Gill and Buttler Provide Fast Start
GT’s chase began at pace, with Gill taking on Josh Hazlewood for 24 runs in a single over, including three fours and two sixes. Gill scored 43 off 18 balls before falling to Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Jos Buttler then continued the momentum, attacking both pace and spin. He made 39 off 19 balls before Bhuvneshwar dismissed him, also accounting for Sai Sudharsan during his spell. While Hazlewood conceded 56 runs in four overs without a wicket, Bhuvneshwar returned 3 for 28.
Late Contributions Seal the Win
RCB opted not to use Krunal Pandya’s left-arm spin despite having left-handers in the middle order. Romario Shepherd, used as the fourth bowler after the team adjusted their combination, struck twice in one over to dismiss Shahrukh Khan and Washington Sundar.
Holder responded immediately with a six, easing the pressure. When he departed in the 14th over, GT required just 15 runs from 37 balls. Tewatia and Rashid Khan then guided the team home with 25 deliveries to spare.
The victory also improved Gujarat Titans’ net run rate from -0.475 to -0.192.
