IPL 2026 final: GT routed at 155/8, can RCB chase 156-run target to defend title?
It was a stellar bowling performance from RCB that saw a top-heavy GT break down inside the powerplay itself
It was a stellar bowling performance from RCB that saw a top-heavy GT break down inside the powerplay itself.
It was a stellar bowling performance from RCB that saw a top-heavy GT break down inside the powerplay itself.
It was a stellar bowling performance from RCB that saw a top-heavy GT break down inside the powerplay itself.
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Sunday managed to restrict the Gujarat Titans (GT) to 155/8 with a stellar bowling performance at the Indian Premier League final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
A top-heavy GT this time saw a number of their in-form batters—Shubhman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler—drop one after the other inside the powerplay, with only Washington Sundar managing to make an impact with a 50 not out.
Senior RCB pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/29) and Josh Hazlewood (2/37) chipped in with a couple of wickets apiece.
Salam's impressive run of 4-0-27-3 behind the lead bowlers Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood, saw him dismiss an out-of-sync Nishant Sindhu (20 off 18 balls) and Rahul Tewatia as the home side lost the cream of its batting line-up even before reaching 100.
The 2022 IPL winners now face a tall task ahead of them, with an ESPN Cricinfo report highlighting slim odds.
The report pointed out that this IPL season, there had been only four times (out of 27) when the chasing team has failed to chase a target less than 190.
This includes 151 in the 11-over game between MI and RR, 156 in the tied game between LSG and KKR, 160 in the LSG-RR match, and 169 in the SRH-GT match at Ahmedabad.
A fired-up RCB now has a slow, steady challenge ahead of it—a modest target of 156 that the opening batters can take on carefully against the dangerous new ball and accumulate runs steadily over time.