Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT) are all set for a blockbuster IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, May 31. The two sides finished at the top of the points table and have been the most consistent teams this season, making the summit clash a fitting battle between the tournament’s two best outfits.
Former South Africa captain and RCB great AB de Villiers has already made a bold prediction for the final. He feels Rajat Patidar will once again rise to the occasion and claims the RCB skipper has the best chance of winning the Player of the Match award.
AB de Villiers also backed Patidar to strike at a rate above 200, underlining just how destructive he expects the RCB captain to be on the big stage. Patidar has already shown what he is capable of in pressure games. In Qualifier 1 against the Gujarat Titans in Dharamsala, he delivered one of the standout innings of IPL 2026, smashing an unbeaten 93 off just 33 balls.
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His explosive knock, which included five fours and nine sixes, powered RCB to 254/5 before their bowlers bundled GT out for 162 and booked a direct spot in the final. AB de Villiers also expects a strong outing from his former RCB teammate and close friend Virat Kohli. The batting legend has been one of the most reliable performers in IPL 2026, scoring 600 runs in 15 innings at an average of 50 and a strike rate of 164.39.
Virat Kohli has already collected five half-centuries and one century this season, including a memorable ton against Kolkata Knight Riders, and remains one of RCB’s biggest hopes in the title clash.
The former RCB star also tipped Rashid Khan to have an off day in the final. The Gujarat Titans spinner had a difficult outing in Qualifier 1, conceding 29 runs in three overs without a wicket. Things got even tougher in Qualifier 2, where he leaked 45 runs in just two overs against the Rajasthan Royals.
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Rashid has had a mixed IPL 2026 season overall, taking 19 wickets from 16 matches at an average of 25.84 and an economy rate of 9.29. With Rajat Patidar, Kohli and Rashid all in the spotlight, the IPL 2026 final promises another high-pressure contest full of star power and decisive moments.
