Stage set as RCB chase back-to-back IPL titles

By Razeen Gutta

Royal Challengers Bengaluru will target a second consecutive IPL crown when they face the Gujarat Titans in Sunday’s final at Ahmedabad’s 130 000-capacity Narendra Modi Stadium.

Bengaluru, champions in 2025, topped the league stage and booked their final spot by beating Gujarat in the first playoff.

Skipper Rajat Patidar starred that night with an unbeaten 93 off 33 balls after Virat Kohli’s aggressive 43 set up a 92 run win and a 254 run total.

Kohli, 37, remains pivotal, scoring 600 runs this season with one century and four fifties at an average of 50.00.

“Everybody understands what Virat brings – his intensity, fight, hunger,” RCB director of cricket Mo Bobat told reporters ahead of the showpiece game.

Gujarat rebounded from that playoff loss by thrashing Rajasthan Royals to reach their third final in five years, having won in 2022.

Captain Shubman Gill hit 104 in the last playoff and sits second on the run chart with 722, behind Rajasthan’s Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

Opener Sai Sudharsan has 710, with the pair driving Gujarat’s campaign.

“In any form of cricket you have to remain level regardless of the result,” Gujarat’s Vikram Solanki told the media.

Action live from a sold out Narendra Modi Stadium will kick off at 4pm on Sunday, live on SuperSport.

Pictured above: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

Source: @royalchallengers.bengaluru