So, RCB are through to the IPL 2026 final in Ahmedabad on May 31. They will have a four day break to prepare to defend their title, while the other three contenders - RR, SRH and GT - battle it out to get there. GT have another chance at making it, they will play Qualifier 2 on May 29 in New Chandigarh against the winner of tomorrow's Eliminator between RR and SRH.

Shubman Gill: We were going pretty well until the 12th, 13th over ... fielding was not up to the mark, catching and ground fielding. One of those games we want to forget, and start over ... we do address fielding in team meetings and practice sessions, under pressure situations we were not up to the mark. It's all about getting a good start in the chase, in the powerplay, on a ground like this the ball travels, the outfield is quick, it could have been chase-able had we got a good start.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar with his Purple Cap: A lot of credit to the planning behind the scenes ... if we plan well we can execute well. It's everyone, our experience, the support staff the small things they bring ... it works for us. We are data informed, if there is something new players are doing we look into that ... not 100% data but it helps. We made effort not to give any room, and look for lbw and bowled, it's part of our planning for sure.

I'll have the presentation for you shortly. This game has meandered for so long that Patidar's carnage feels like ages ago!

Ishwar: "The win probability chart tells a story. At no point in the game did GT have any chance of winning. A comprehensive win by RCB to book a date with destiny on the 31st."

Rajat Patidar, winning captain and player of the match: Super game for us, the way the batters dominated, striking with intent, was good for us. It wasn't a clear plan, but we were ready for it, have to show some body language that we are ready for you, every batter showed it, attacking mindset. I take a few balls 8-10 balls to see how the wicket is doing and then I have a clear mind to go about it, I'm not worried about my wicket. I try and put the bowler under pressure. The wicket was not that easy to get under the ball and hit, there was variable bounce. The way GT play till now, we were clear we had to get their three main batters out in the powerplay, and it worked.

So nearly two months after playing the first match of IPL 2026 on March 28, the defending champions RCB have booked their place in the final. GT have a second chance to get there, they will play Qualifier 2 against the winner of tomorrow's Eliminator between RR and SRH. Do join us for that game, promises to be a cracker. Cheers.

19.3
W
Pandya to Mohammed Siraj, OUT, that is some catch from Tim David to end the match and seal RCB's place in the IPL 2026 final! Siraj skied the ball extremely high in the region between mid-on and mid-off, David came racing in from long off and dived to take the catch. RCB have thumped GT by 92 runs and the fireworks light up the Dharamsala sky

Mohammed Siraj c David b Pandya 5 (40m 13b 1x4 0x6) SR: 38.46

19.2
1
Pandya to Prasidh Krishna, 1 run, goes back to a slow one and gets an inside edge past the stumps towards short fine leg
19.1
0
Pandya to Prasidh Krishna, no run, punched off the back foot into the covers

Harsha: "Is Kohli bowling the last over today?" It's K.....runal.

END OF OVER:
19 | 5 Runs 1 Wkt | GT: 161/9 (94 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 8.47, RRR: 94.00)

  • Prasidh Krishna5 (5b)
  • Mohammed Siraj5 (12b)
  • Bhuvneshwar Kumar4-0-28-2
  • Rasikh Salam3-1-24-2
18.6
1
Kumar to Prasidh Krishna, 1 run, nudged off the pads behind square leg
18.5
0
Kumar to Prasidh Krishna, no run, another slower on, on off and middle stump, Prasidh defends
18.4
0
Kumar to Prasidh Krishna, no run, slower one outside off, Prasidh swung way too early and was beaten
18.3
4
Kumar to Prasidh Krishna, FOUR, wide outside off stump, Prasidh cuts late and beats backward point to find the boundary
18.2
0
Kumar to Prasidh Krishna, no run, full and nearly in the blockhole, dug out into the leg side
18.1
W
Kumar to Tewatia, OUT, Bhuvi has the purple cap once again! Tewatia's resistance is over, he slaps a short of a length ball into the off side and ends up lobbing it to Patidar who catches it on the edge of the circle

R Tewatia c Patidar b Kumar 68 (68m 43b 8x4 4x6) SR: 158.13

Kasinathan: "opportunity for Tewatia to score a hundred"

Rohan: "Really wanted GT to bowl-out under 100. This under 100-run victory isn't satisfactory"

Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the penultimate over ...

END OF OVER:
18 | 13 Runs | GT: 156/8 (99 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 8.66, RRR: 49.50)

  • Rahul Tewatia68 (42b)
  • Mohammed Siraj5 (12b)
  • Rasikh Salam3-1-24-2
  • Josh Hazlewood4-0-39-1
17.6
1
Rasikh Salam to Tewatia, 1 run, nudged off the pads through midwicket
17.6
1w
Rasikh Salam to Tewatia, 1 wide, full ball too wide outside off
17.5
0
Rasikh Salam to Tewatia, no run, edges the short of a length ball that skids through outside off but it falls short of the keeper, Tewatia tried to cut and got a bottom edge
17.4
0
Rasikh Salam to Tewatia, no run, steps out and slaps the ball back at the bowler, Rasikh fields and throws it back at the stumps at the striker's end and hits them, Tewatia is safe though
17.3
4
Rasikh Salam to Tewatia, FOUR, short of a length outside off, Tewatia uses the ample width on offer to cut it over short third and backward point, this is now his highest IPL score
17.2
6
Rasikh Salam to Tewatia, SIX, gets down low on the front foot and slams the length ball high and far over wide long on, full swing of the bat

KayCee: "The only thing that is keeping me interested is whether Bhuvi can take one or both of the remaining wickets and reclaim the purple cap."

17.1
0
Rasikh Salam to Tewatia, no run, presses forward and hits the length ball through point
17.1
1w
Rasikh Salam to Tewatia, 1 wide, slower short ball, bounces too high over Tewatia and he lets it go, but RCB aren't letting this wide go, they have reviewed it. It's over head height, the wide stands

END OF OVER:
17 | 9 Runs | GT: 143/8 (112 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 8.41, RRR: 37.33)

  • Mohammed Siraj5 (12b)
  • Rahul Tewatia57 (36b)
  • Josh Hazlewood4-0-39-1
  • Bhuvneshwar Kumar3-0-23-1
16.6
0
Hazlewood to Mohammed Siraj, no run, played into the off side from the crease
16.5
1
Hazlewood to Tewatia, 1 run, and he swivels and swats again, but this time Shepherd runs to his right and slides to cut off the boundary at long leg
16.4
4
Hazlewood to Tewatia, FOUR, now he makes proper contact, paddling the ball around the corner to find the backward square leg boundary
16.3
0
Hazlewood to Tewatia, no run, Tewatia groans after he gets hit by a short of a length ball angling into him from around the wicket, he tried to pull that and missed
16.2
4
Hazlewood to Tewatia, FOUR, shot! Jumps back and cuts a short of a length ball angling across him from over the wicket through point to bring up his half-century
16.1
0
Hazlewood to Tewatia, no run, short ball from over the wicket, Tewatia swivels and pulls behind square leg, there's a fielder on the boundary

BeardGuy: "The way I see it, if GT won this they play the finals in their home ground where they dominate. Now they lose and will face the winner of the eliminator in a neutral venue."

END OF OVER:
16 | 11 Runs | GT: 134/8 (121 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 8.37, RRR: 30.25)

  • Mohammed Siraj5 (11b)
  • Rahul Tewatia48 (31b)
  • Bhuvneshwar Kumar3-0-23-1
  • Krunal Pandya3-0-15-1

The players are taking a time out.

Have you played today's WORDPLAY game yet?. Go on and give it a shot.

How much did you score in today's KYC quiz? If you haven't played it yet, jump right in!

15.6
0
Kumar to Mohammed Siraj, no run, defended on the front foot on the leg side

GT 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st17Shubman GillB Sai Sudharsan
2nd10JC ButtlerShubman Gill
3rd24JC ButtlerN Sindhu
4th0Washington SundarN Sindhu
5th0JO HolderWashington Sundar
6th14R TewatiaWashington Sundar
7th13R TewatiaRashid Khan
8th10R TewatiaK Rabada
9th68R TewatiaMohammed Siraj
10th6M Prasidh KrishnaMohammed Siraj