For the IPL 2026 season, there remains just one match left as the two most successful teams in the league have reached the grand finale. This will be played on May 31 in Ahmedabad between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT). Road to Finals: RCB & GT: It takes consistency, great performance, and strong finishing skills under pressure to reach the final match. Both RCB and GT ended the league phase with 18 points and nine wins each. Despite having an identical record of performance through the league phase, their respective journeys have been unique, making the upcoming clash interesting between the two teams - a clash between the experienced RCB of Virat Kohli and the in-form GT of Shubman Gill.
While the former has made
their way straight into the final through Qualifier 1, the latter managed to bounce back despite losing the match and made their way to the finals through the playoffs route. Both the teams have proved to be consistent in their performance.
RCB's Second Straight Finals
RCB executed one of the best campaigns during the entire IPL season. The Bengaluru team managed to win nine out of their 14 league games and occupied the top position on the points chart owing to a better net run rate of +0.783. This campaign started with five wins in a row that allowed them to gain additional momentum and dominate throughout the tournament.
However, the game against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 became truly memorable for RCB since their batting put up one of the best performances in the history of IPL playoffs. With Rajat Patidar scoring an unbeaten century of 93 off just 33 deliveries, RCB was able to score 254/5 runs. On top of that, the bowlers helped their side to dismiss Gujarat Titans for 162 runs in return, sealing a massive 92-run victory.
That's how you 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬 𝗕𝗢𝗟𝗗! ❤️ Defending champions @RCBTweets are on their way to a second consecutive #TATAIPL final 👏😌 Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/9rs6u5obOw#Qualifier1 | #TheFinalLeap | #RCBvGT pic.twitter.com/1bhTGqwTok
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 26, 2026
Gujarat Titans Bounce Back In Qualifier 2
GT's path was also not easy, but just as impressive. The Titans managed to accumulate nine wins in the league phase and emerged second on the table with a run rate of 0.695. It is worth noting that a five-match winning streak in the middle phase of the season allowed GT to qualify for Qualifier 1.
After receiving a thrashing defeat at the hands of RCB, GT bounced back in style when they met RR in Qualifier 2. With a requirement of 215 to win the match, captain Shubman Gill scored a magnificent century and finished unbeaten with 104 runs off 53 deliveries. Along with Sai Sudharsan, Gill helped his team chase down the total and win by seven wickets inside the final few overs of the match. The victory secured the franchise's third IPL final appearance in five seasons.
A 𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙘 𝙧𝙪𝙣 to the #Final 💙@gujarat_titans make their way into the #TATAIPL 2026 finale 👏 Updates ▶️ https://t.co/eupS8cBPc2#Qualifier2 | #TheFinalLeap | #GTvRR pic.twitter.com/EeKpvawv9O
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 29, 2026
Top Performers Laid the Foundation
While the playoff wins grabbed attention, both finalists built their success during the league phase. RCB and GT finished level on 18 points, alongside Sunrisers Hyderabad, but superior net run rates separated the top two teams. RCB finished first and GT second after the end of league-stages.
RCB relied on major contributions from Virat Kohli, who scored 600 runs in 15 matches, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who led the bowling attack with 26 wickets. GT, meanwhile, benefited from the consistent run-scoring of Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan, while Kagiso Rabada provided breakthroughs with the ball. Those performances ensured both teams remained in the top positions throughout the tournament and ultimately earned their places in the IPL 2026 final.
