Captain Rajat Patidar’s unbeaten 93, supported by quickfire 43s from Virat Kohli and Krunal Pandya, propelled Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a historic 254/5 in 20 overs against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium. RCB, batting first after losing the toss, displayed aggressive intent from the start, with Venkatesh Iyer providing a flying start before falling for 19 off seven deliveries.
Despite losing Iyer early, RCB’s momentum continued as Devdutt Padikkal and Kohli counterattacked the Gujarat bowlers, with Kohli’s fluent 43 off 25 balls setting the stage for a big total. However, quick wickets by Jason Holder briefly slowed RCB’s progress, but Patidar’s unbeaten knock and Krunal Pandya’s brisk 43 ensured RCB’s dominance, with Patidar smashing 93 off just 39 balls.
RCB’s innings was marked by aggressive strokeplay, with Patidar’s powerful hitting leading them to a record-breaking total in IPL playoff history. Gujarat Titans’ bowlers, despite efforts from Holder and Rabada, struggled to contain the RCB onslaught, culminating in a formidable total of 254/5.
