The IPL 2026 triumph should be ‘responsibly’ celebrated at home, was the first message from two-time champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). At the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, RCB defeated the Gujarat Titans by five wickets to win a second straight championship, making them just the third side to do so. The comment was aimed at the unfortunate events of the 2025 Indian Premier League.
Bengaluru crowd flocked to the streets in joy when RCB defeated Punjab Kings at the same venue to win their first-ever championship. 11 supporters were killed in a tragic stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium when the players called them up for a parade the next day.
RCB’s Message To Fans
“What a night. What a feeling. To every member of the RCB nation, congratulations. This is YOUR win. As the celebrations begin, let’s be responsible. Best way to celebrate is with your loved ones. Relive the memories, and enjoy this special moment from the comfort of home. We’ll see you in the stadium next year, 12th Man Army. Until then, spread the joy and keep supporting us,” the team wrote on social media.
RCB Beat GT By Five Wickets
GT was asked to bat first on a slow pitch, and after losing captain Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan during the Powerplay, they never gained momentum. Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Rasikh Salam Dhar spearheaded RCB’s disciplined attack, which kept scoring in check despite Jos Buttler and Washington Sundar’s attempts to rebuild. Gujarat crawled to 155/8, with Sundar’s undefeated 50 off 37 balls being the only significant contribution.
Virat Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer added 62 runs in just 4.3 overs while dismantling Kagiso Rabada as RCB’s spirited chase got underway. Kohli was unconcerned even if GT battled back, reducing RCB to 91 for 4 with the wickets of Venkatesh, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, and Krunal Pandya. Tim David’s rapid 24 helped him earn his fastest IPL half-century, which came off just 25 balls.
With a six off Arshad Khan, Kohli completed the chase undefeated at 75 from 42 balls, igniting joyous celebrations. In the post-match interviews, none of the players brought up a parade or celebrating with the supporters.
