RCB vs GT Highlights, IPL 2026 Final: Dominant Royal Challengers Bengaluru claim back-to-back IPL titles

With that, RCB's superstars lift the trophy, and the glee is apparent on all the faces! Confetti goes up, fireworks continue, and when we come back in March next year, this same group will want to make it three in a row.

But for now, this is all we have to offer. IPL 2026 has been a joyride, as always – and now, we can bid it farewell, and goodnight!

"Feels superb. A lot of memories of how we played last year. But had to stay in the moment, and feeling good.

Was clear when we won the toss that we wanted to chase and that we needed to get the top three in the powerplay. The way Bhuvi, Hazlewood, Rasikh, I want to mention every bowler… have to thank them for their performance.

I never dreamed of being a captain and lifting a trophy for RCB. It was all written, and I'm grateful for it. Last year there was a lot of pressure, this year we were pretty confident. Everyone was in a good frame of mind, good to see fans coming in every ground we go.

Whenever I see Kohli on and off the field, he is always there for the team and the players. They have hesitation to speak but he always speaks to them."

"If we got close to 180-190 would have been a good match. It wasn't that two-paced, there was a little bit of movement and we lost the momentum with early wickets. We knew 150-160 with early wickets would keep us in the game.

If we could have restricted them to 50-55 runs we could have gone ahead, but we let them get away in the powerplay.

We came back in the tournament after two losses, kept improving those 5% factors. Definitely happy overall with the season, couldn't get over the line, but always things you can improve on even if you win the trophy.

Almost a total clean sweep for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who at all of 15 years old, has made himself the present and the future of Indian cricket all at once!

"Feels good, feeling pressure of taking this interview! Proud moment, will try hard next season as well.

Try to back my game, and if I think the first ball is there to be hit, I go all out and try to play like that. What I learnt most this year is how to play against pressure, how to adapt based on the team's requirement. Learnt that a lot, in the playoff games too. Will have to focus on my fitness, want to stay safe from injuries.

Everyone is very supportive, senior players and staff, back me a lot and allows me to learn a lot from the level they play at."

Leading wicket-taket to the South African pacer for the second time in his career – but both times he has won it, no doubt he would have liked to swap it for the trophy in the final that year.

Orange Cap, for the first time in his career, but not the last certainly, to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi!

Catch of the season notable too – Manish Pandey one of three players to participate in all 19 years of the IPL. But his age not shown in how he took a miraculous diving catch against RCB, rightly receiving this award.

Young star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi – forget one of the best youngsters of the year, but also one of the best players full stop.

He will also pick up the awards for the best strike-rate for the season, and the most sixes hit in the year.

Is anyone shocked? Player of the match goes to Virat Kohli – when the pressure is so high, even in a manageable chase, there is not a player in the history of cricket you would rather have than this man.

“It's stuff that you dream of. I've thought many times about how if we win the IPL I'll be there to score the winning runs at the end. Had a lot of confidence, and I felt really comfortable out there in the chase.”

Such is the demand of the sport today. It gives you something to work on and improve, and I take a lot of pride in improving myself. Had to change my mindset rather than my game to take on bowlers and the opposition.

The first target was to finish top of the table, and we achieved that. We were asked who we would like to meet in the final, and we said we don't care. We want to be respectful and not poke any other team, but the maturity and the experience always shines through.

I was confident even if I got out, we have a champion team that would win us the game. Credit to the management, the stacked up team, and the belief the players have. Really proud of us as a team."

Dust has settled in Ahmedabad and the presentation stage set up – looking colourful and funky, in a good way.

First the match awards – but the tournament awards to follow.

"Hard to put it down to one thing in a long season. Our great strength is in our apex predators up front and we couldn't quite get going. RCB worked on the plan. Krunal Pandya's spell was one of the better ones I've seen in any match.

It's a very successful franchise, developed into a nice fanbase. Sticking behind the superstars. Talent prevails in IPL games, in particular in the back stage of the playoffs.

This group never does something too urgently, things stay calm. Nehra is chilled out as you could possibly get. Lots of factors buzzing around you, away from home. Biggest thing in this franchise is family.

I had a moment watching you interviewing Kohli and that was me last year. It reached beyond my expectations (coaching), the way conversations flew through the changing room. Batting never changed much. Great franchise, support group has made it fun. Wasn't a soft tissue injury all season, two S&Cs, two physios, two masseurs. Helps you recover quicker and give yourself a chance.

One of the highlights was young Sooryavanshi, guys who play fearless cricket like they would in their backyards. The potential in our group, some guys I'm sure you will see."

"It's been incredible, the entire group has been really special. When you have quality around you it makes you go up a level and that's what happened with me. Bowling side has been unbelievable. Execution day in day out has been amazing to see. The professionalism put us in great stead.

When each wicket fell, I was talking to Venky, he was asking me if I was nervous. I said as long as Kohli was there I was not nervous, that he would get us there.

After last season finished we spoke about going back to back, and glad we were able to do it."

JH: “Little bit more relaxed as a group this year. Felt calm and composed throughout. 10 men of the matches, so amazing depth in this squad. Bhuvi is special. Can't remember a game he went over 35 runs. Took wickets every game he played. Took the heat off us.”

BK: “Trophy is most important, would trade the Purple Cap in any day for that. Lot of planning before the season, and it went well. If you take wickets confidence is up, if you perform well in the past then everyone is up.”

JH: “The franchise was put together beautifully. Everyone has a good time with each other. Tough to build that culture with the team changing, and winning helps, but we have managed to do that here.”

"As Mo said, we are not defending, we are attacking something. Our mindset changed, that we would be dominant this season.

All the credit goes to management for environment, how they have nourished us. How they have handled everything including me, it's a group of some good humans, if you can give something to the team, they will give good value.

You could say we were top seeds, we knew we were very strong. We were focusing on one game at a time. We never thought outwards.

Next year a third can come as well."

"I said to a few of the boys that it doesn't feel like the same pressure. We topped the group and said one thing, if we stick to our cricket we are the best in the comp. The skillsets, the maturity and composure, shone through tonight in a clinical performance.

We had a couple of losses after the break, it was a tricky week but the belief kicked back in after that win over KKR.

We've had to wait so long, and now you step to the ground and so many guys behind you, you don't need to step up everytime. So many man of the match awards spread through. World class bowling like Hoff, Bhuv, Duff, Krunal, Rasikh was brilliant this season. Batting chipped in everywhere too."

"Every IPL trophy is special. It's like having kids, you can't pick. 11 years, five titles, special to me. Lot of credit goes to staff, Mo Babat, Andy Flower, Dinesh Karthik… the way the set the balance of the team. Sometimes half the battle you win in the auction and it was on us to go and deliver.

This 18 years of waiting and winning back-to-back, it's for the RCB fans, who go everywhere and support us."

It had to be him to hit the winning runs! Finishes with four and then a crisp six over long-on, and the intensity is still there in his eyes as he celebrates! Finishes on 75*, RCB win with two overs to spare – the team which waited so long has got their hands on two in two years, and fireworks light up Ahmedabad in honour of a great getting his moment!

Virat Kohli looks like he might have to walk after chipping one to Gill at mid-off – but replays show that he has failed to get fingers underneath the ball!

Kohli will stay in with 11 to get off 24. He will want to be there at the end.

Tim David with a feather on it and Arshad Khan strikes! David falls on 24 – very useful runs to settle nerves for this chase, his team now in a winning position of 24 needed off 36. His teammates should see it through.

25-ball fifty for Kohli, who has been in the mood tonight! A fifty, and scored at speed – settling nerves with a couple of boundaries after those wickets.

41 needed off 50 – you back Kohli 10 out of 10 times in a situation like this.

GUJARAT TITANS NOT GOING ANYWHERE WITHOUT A FIGHT! They have suddenly made this very interesting – Rashid with a full leg-break that Krunal plays all around, and in no time the finger goes up to send the 2025 man of the match in the final packing!

There might just be a chance.

Rashid Khan brought on and he removes the RCB captain! Patidar tries to go big but doesn't get the entirety of it – Rabada at long on can settle and safely take the catch with no bother!

89/3 now – is there a chance?

Patidar steps in and playing like he never left that knock of 93*. Excellent from him early.

RCB finding boundaries, and preserving their wickets. GT need to find a way to get two or three wickets in succession, but at the moment the title is slipping away.

Kohli finds another six to end the restrictions! He's onto 35*(12) in the blink of an eye.

86 needed off 84 – RCB coasting despite the wickets.

Wicket for Kagiso Rabada! Has been hammered everywhere, but he's kept on because he's a wicket-taker – and that's number 29 for the season.

DDP flashes, a thick edge that flies all the way to deep third. Arshad does very well to shuttle across and keep his composure underneath the ball!

Venky can't connect this time, right down the throat of mid-on.

Departs, but has brought this down to run-a-ball already. Siraj gives him a send-off, but GT need to capitalise on this opening – otherwise this game could be over quick.