RCB, Gujarat Titans battle with final on the line:Bengaluru won 3 out of last 5 games vs GT, Shubman Gill nears 4,500-run record

After the completion of the IPL 2026 league stage, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are set to face the Gujarat Titans (GT) in Qualifier 1 at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala on 26 May. The winning team between RCB and GT will qualify directly for the IPL 2026 final on 31 May at the Narendra Modi Stadium. In this season, the two teams met twice in the group stage and won one match each. On 24 April, Bengaluru defeated Gujarat by five wickets, chasing down 206 in 19 overs. In their second encounter on 30 April, GT took revenge as they won by four wickets, chasing down 156 runs in 16 overs. Overall, RCB have won three matches against GT in the last five matches between the two teams. Both RCB and GT have been the most consistent teams in the league phase. Top orders from both teams have scored more than 1,300 runs, while their bowlers have taken more than 50 wickets. RCB vs GT, Qualifier 1, IPL 2026, match details Match: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans, Qualifier 1 Date: 26 May, 2026, Tuesday Venue: HPCA Stadium, Himachal Pradesh Time: 7:30 PM IST, toss at 7:00 PM How to watch: Star Sports network (Telecasting), JioHotstar (Streaming) Where to follow: Follow live updates from the match on the Bhaskar English app. RCB vs GT, head-to-head record Bengaluru and Gujarat have shared an evenly matched rivalry in the IPL, with both teams winning four of their eight meetings. RCB’s highest total against GT is 206, while Gujarat’s best score stands at 205. With little separating the two sides and a history of competitive contests, this fixture continues to generate plenty of excitement. Virat, Bhuvneshwar aim to defend IPL title RCB legend Virat Kohli is the leading run-scorer of the franchise once again in 2026. He has scored 557 runs in 14 matches with a strike rate of 163.82, including a brilliant knock of 105* against KKR this season. On the other hand, ‘King of Swing’ Bhuvneshwar Kumar has taken 24 wickets, conceding runs with an economy of 8.07. Also read: 4 reasons why RCB, GT, SRH RR reached playoffs: Top order contributed 1300+ runs, bowlers picked 45 wickets; most 200+ totals Sudharsan, Rabada aim to propel GT into the final For Gujarat, Sai Sudharsan is the leading run-scorer. He has scored 638 runs with a strike rate of 157.92, including a blistering 100-run knock against the RCB. GT captain Shubman Gill has also been in good form and nears the 4,500-run milestone in IPL. On the other hand, Kagiso Rabada has taken 24 wickets and has conceded runs with an expensive economy of 9.18. Kohli boasts a 150+ strike rate against Rabada Former RCB captain Virat Kohli has scored 79 runs, facing 51 balls with a strike rate of 154.90 in nine innings against Kagiso Rabada. However, Rabada has dismissed ‘King’ Kohli four times in the past. He has conceded runs with an expensive economy of 9.79. Bhuvneshwar dismissed Gill five times in the IPL RCB star Bhuvneshwar Kumar has dismissed ‘Prince’ Shubman Gill five times in IPL history. Bhuvi has maintained a decent economy of 6.40. On the other hand, Gill has scored 80 runs, facing 75 balls with a strike rate of 106.66 in 13 innings. HPCA Stadium, pitch report In this venue, the pitch has offered excellent pace and true bounce, allowing batters to play their shots with confidence throughout the innings. Both matches at the venue have been won by chasing teams, suggesting conditions improve under lights. However, with this contest scheduled in the afternoon, factors such as heat, a drier surface, and slower conditions could create a different challenge compared to the previous night games. Himachal Pradesh weather report On Tuesday evening, the weather in Himachal Pradesh is expected to be 16% humid. There is no chance of rain with the temperature expected to be 22° Celsius.