Ahmedabad, May 31 (IANS) Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s seamers produced a disciplined performance to restrict Gujarat Titans to 155/8 in the IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, despite Washington Sundar hitting a fighting unbeaten half‑century for the hosts.

Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck early to remove Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan inside the Powerplay, while Rasikh Salam Dar delivered his best spell of the season to pick 3-27.

Amidst the collapse, Sundar stood tall for GT. He survived an early scare when a catch of him taken by Jordan Cox was ruled to be grounded, and Sundar went on to anchor the innings with a composed fifty laced with five boundaries to take GT past 150-mark.

While RCB’s seamers executed their plans with precision to keep GT in check, Krunal Pandya was excellent as the lone spinner to finish with 1-23. GT finished with the same score they had restricted RCB to in the league game at this venue. But in the pressure of a grand finale, the total looks below par against a batting line‑up led by Virat Kohli.

Pushed into batting first by RCB, GT endured a shaky start as Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar exploited bounce and movement on the mixed soil pitch by consistently bowling back of the length balls. The in-form Gill was dismissed for 10 by Josh Hazlewood, after slicing a short‑arm pull to a running Rajat Patidar at mid‑off.

Sudharsan, who hit successive fours in a 13-run opening over off Jacob Duffy, followed soon after, top‑edging a bouncer from Bhuvneshwar Kumar to wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma for 12. Nishant Sindhu and Jos Buttler tried to steady the innings by adding cautious runs against disciplined pacers.

But with no boundary coming after power-play, thanks to RCB keeping things tight, Sindhu was forced to attack against Rasikh, but holed out to long-on for 20. GT almost lost Sundar on the final ball of tenth over, but Cox touched the grass while taking the catch, giving him a reprieve on four.

Buttler, visibly frustrated over being tied down by dot balls, advanced to attack Krunal, but was undone by a quick wide yorker, and Jitesh completed a sharp stumping. Arshad Khan briefly lifted GT spirits by hitting the first six of the innings in the 13th over and break a 40‑ball boundary drought – the longest time a team has taken to hit their first six in an innings in IPL 2026.

He and Sundar hit three more boundaries collectively, before Hazlewood hurried him into a mistimed pull and was caught by short fine leg for 15. Rahul Tewatia’s stay ended in the 16th over when he miscued a loft off a cross‑seam ball from Rasikh and gave a straightforward catch to mid-on.

Though Holder top-edged to Hazlewood off Bhuvneshwar, Washington pierced the gaps well to collect boundaries and get his fifty off 37 balls. A mighty six from Rashid Khan off Rasikh took GT past 150-mark, before holing out on the next ball to deep square leg and set RCB 156 to win the title.

Brief Scores: Gujarat Titans 155/8 in 20 overs (Washington Sundar 50 not out, Nishant Sindhu 20; Rasikh Salam Dar 3-27, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2-29) against Royal Challengers Bengaluru

–IANS

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