Virat Kohli anchors Royal Challengers Bengaluru to thrilling home victory
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru surged to the second spot on the IPL 2026 points table after successfully chasing a formidable 206-run target against Gujarat Titans on Friday.Playing at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, the home side relied on a blistering 115-run second-wicket partnership to secure a five-wicket win with seven balls to spare.
Kohli and Padikkal Command the Chase
Virat Kohli, who received a life on the very first ball when Washington Sundar dropped him, made the Titans pay dearly.He struck a masterful 81 off 44 deliveries, punishing Kagiso Rabada and Prasidh Krishna with surgical precision.Alongside him, Karnataka's own Devdutt Padikkal looked equally sharp, hammering 55 off just 27 balls, including six towering maximums.While Rashid Khan briefly stalled the momentum by removing Padikkal, the foundation was already solid.
Sudharsan’s Historic Ton Overshadowed
Earlier, Sai Sudharsan delivered a batting clinic, becoming the fastest player to reach 2,000 IPL runs in just 47 innings—surpassing the legendary Chris Gayle.The 24-year-old left-hander smashed 100 off 58 balls to propel Gujarat to 205/3.Despite his brilliance and a steady 32 from Shubman Gill, the Titans’ scoring rate dipped in the death overs, managed effectively by Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Krunal Finishes the Job
A late middle-order stutter saw RCB slip from 141/1 to 173/5, losing Rajat Patidar and Jitesh Sharma cheaply.However, Krunal Pandya remained calm, striking an unbeaten 23 off 12 balls.Historically, the Chinnaswamy track favors high-scoring chases due to its short boundaries and thin air, a factor RCB exploited perfectly to clinch their fourth win in five home games this season.
