New Delhi, May 30 (IANS) Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will take inspiration from their amazing journey in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 league stage and the Qualifier 1 when they take on 2022 winners Gujarat Titans in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

After lifting their maiden IPL trophy last year, RCB are set to face the challenge of defending the crown for the first time in franchise history. The Rajat Patidar-led side responded in impressive fashion, finishing at the top of the points table with nine wins from 14 league matches before sealing a place in the final with a convincing victory over the Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1.

RCB made an immediate statement at the start of the season. They opened their campaign with a successful chase against Sunrisers Hyderabad before registering a comfortable win over Chennai Super Kings in Bengaluru.

Their first defeat came against Rajasthan Royals, who chased down a 200-plus target in Guwahati. However, RCB quickly returned to winning ways with victories over Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants.

A narrow defeat against Delhi Capitals at home briefly halted their progress, but RCB answered with a strong run of performances. They defeated the Gujarat Titans in Bengaluru and then produced one of their most dominant displays of the season against the Delhi Capitals, bowling them out for just 75 before completing the chase in rapid fashion.

The middle phase of the season brought another challenge. Consecutive losses against Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants left RCB needing a strong finish to secure a playoff berth. Rather than faltering, the defending champions responded with three successive victories.

They edged past Mumbai Indians in a thrilling contest, defeated Kolkata Knight Riders to confirm their playoff qualification, and followed it up with a win over Punjab Kings. Although Sunrisers Hyderabad handed them a heavy defeat of 55 runs in their final league game, RCB still finished at the top of the standings thanks to a superior net run rate

Their best performance arrived at the perfect time in Qualifier 1. Facing the Gujarat Titans, captain Rajat Patidar led from the front with a breathtaking 93 off 33 deliveries as RCB posted a massive total of 254 runs. The bowlers then backed up the effort by dismissing Gujarat for 162, securing a 92-run victory and direct entry into the final.

RCB’s winning momentum is a result of collective performance from both batters and bowlers. Former captain Virat Kohli again topped the list of most runs for the franchise with 600 runs in 15 matches. While Skipper Patidar has also accumulated 486 runs in 14 matches.

Meanwhile, experienced pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar is leading the charge in the bowling as he has taken 26 wickets in 15 matches, while youngster Rasikh Salam is also shining with 16 wickets in 11 matches.

As they play their second consecutive IPL final, RCB would look to continue the winning momentum and clinch their second title in a row.

–IANS

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