After two months, the IPL 2026 is about to end, and we will find out which team wins the championship and carries the bragging rights till the next year. Ten teams with ten big-name captains started the season with a hope of getting their hands on the coveted title. In the end, just two captains remain as they take to the field in Ahmedabad at the Narendra Modi Stadium in front of a packed crowd and billions watching on TV.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) had won their first-ever IPL title at this very venue last year. Since then, the team has become dominant, aggressive, and has played with a certain swagger. Their batting at the top as well as in the middle order has been consistent throughout the season. Bengaluru have found match winners right through the season with players putting up their hands and making themselves counted. Bowling led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar has found good support from Josh Hazlewood and Jacob Duffy, as well as Rasikh Salam Dar, coming good on many occasions. After finishing top of the points table, RCB stormed into the finals with a dominating win in the first playoffs thanks to skipper Rajat Patidar’s unbeaten 93.
Gujarat Titans (GT) ended the league phase campaign in the second spot after having played brilliant cricket in the second half of the season. The Titans were able to win six out of their last seven games to make it to the playoffs in style. In the first qualifier, they ran into an inspired Bengaluru side that came out all guns blazing and put the bowlers to the sword. In the next game against the Rajasthan Royals, it was the team from Ahmedabad who came out on top with a 7-wicket win. Former IPL winners have some really quality batters in the side and lethal bowlers who can turn the game around in just one spell. Ashish Nehra will hope that his side can silence the massive fanbase of RCB with some inspired cricket of their own and script a fabulous win and take home their 2nd title.
Here are the top three player battles to watch out for in RCB vs GT encounter
Josh Hazlewood vs Jos Buttler
The two players had a great battle during the first qualifier in Dharamsala, where Jos Buttler hit the pacer for a few boundaries. In the end, it was Josh Hazlewood who had the last laugh as he castled the Englishman and celebrated with joy. Things will get interesting on Sunday as both players get ready to do battle once more. Aussie pacer has got rid of Buttler twice, with the batting having a strike-rate of 118 in such duels. The player who comes out on top in this battle will ensure his team enjoys the upper hand in such a big game.
Kagiso Rabada vs Virat Kohli
It is always a great sight to see Kagiso Rabada come running into the bowl and put batters under pressure with his extreme pace. Up against the South African will be Indian star Virat Kohli, who has had his own battles against the pacer in the past and come out on top on many occasions. Kohli has scored 111 runs against Rabada with a strike rate of 140. The South African, on the other hand, has dismissed the former Indian skipper on five occasions, with the latest dismissal coming in Ahmedabad during the league phase.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar vs Shubman Gill
The biggest player battle that can decide which way the IPL trophy heads will be when Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowls to Shubman Gill. The veteran Indian pacer has been in prime form this season, capturing 26 wickets and doing well with the new ball. It was Bhuvneshwar who dismissed Shubman in the first qualifier, and the pacer has got rid of the GT skipper six times so far in the IPL. The right-handed batter doesn’t enjoy a great record vs Kumar, but after his century in the last game, his confidence will certainly be high. Ahmedabad will witness these two players go at each other one more time this season, and the stakes couldn’t be much higher.
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