Royal Challengers Bengaluru made the perfect start in the IPL 2026 final as Josh Hazlewood delivered an early breakthrough by dismissing Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, May 31. Gill, who has been one of Gujarat’s standout performers throughout the season, looked positive from the outset and greeted Hazlewood with a boundary on the very first ball of the Australian pacer’s spell.
However, the experienced fast bowler responded immediately with a clever change of length to send the GT skipper back to the pavilion. Hazlewood bowled a sharp back-of-a-length delivery outside off stump at around 142 kmph. Gill attempted to charge down the track and clear the infield but failed to time the shot properly.
The ball ballooned towards mid-on, where RCB captain Rajat Patidar sprinted forward and completed a well-judged catch. The dismissal sparked wild celebrations among the Bengaluru players, with Virat Kohli visibly delighted after seeing the dangerous opener depart cheaply.
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The wicket continued a difficult trend for Gill against RCB this season. In Qualifier 1, he had managed just two runs before being dismissed, as Gujarat Titans suffered a crushing 92-run defeat. Although Gill bounced back brilliantly with a match-winning 104 against Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2, he could not replicate that form on the biggest stage. Despite the failure in the final, he finished IPL 2026 with an impressive 732 runs and remained one of the tournament’s leading run-scorers.
What it means! 🤩👏💪🔥#JoshHazlewood gets the big wicket of #ShubmanGill & the reactions from the #RCB camp says it all! 👀#TATAIPL 2026 FINAL | #RCBvGT | LIVE NOW 👉 https://t.co/nTKb3Qmpst pic.twitter.com/IK1ATGnXxh
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) May 31, 2026
RCB’s new-ball attack maintained relentless pressure after Gill’s departure. Bhuvneshwar Kumar soon joined the party by removing Sai Sudharsan, who scored 12 off 12 balls before wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma completed a smart running catch behind the stumps.
At the end of the powerplay, the Gujarat Titans found themselves under pressure, struggling to build momentum after losing both in-form openers early. Jos Buttler and Nishant Sindhu were left with the responsibility of rebuilding the innings and guiding GT towards a competitive total.
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Having already defeated the Gujarat Titans twice this season, including in Qualifier 1, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru entered the final with confidence. The defending champions were aiming to secure back-to-back IPL titles, while Gujarat Titans hoped their middle order could rescue the innings and keep their dreams of a second IPL crown alive.
