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Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Gujarat Titans
Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans will face each other in Qualifier 1 of the IPL 2026 at HPCA Stadium. Both teams enter this match after strong league-stage campaigns. RCB finished at the top of the table while GT secured second place. Both sides collected 18 points with 9 wins and 5 losses each. This match will decide the first finalist of the season.
RCB will come into this game with 3 wins in their last 5 matches, while GT will arrive with better recent momentum after winning 4 of their last 5 games. The head-to-head record between these teams has stayed close.
RCB have won 3 of the last 5 meetings, while GT have won 2. All 5 of those matches were won by the chasing side, which will keep the toss very important in Dharamsala conditions. Both teams already have one win each against the other this season.
GT have multiple in-form wicket-takers this season, with Rabada, Rashid and Siraj consistently delivering breakthroughs, giving them a stronger bowling edge in this matchup.
The betting tip is...
Top Bowlerβs Team - GT
68 %
32 %
Royal Challengers BengaluruGujarat TitansJacob Bethell has been ruled out for the season. Venkatesh Iyer opened alongside Virat Kohli in the previous match. Kohli is their key batter with 557 runs at a strike rate of 163.82, including 4 fifties and one century. Devdutt Padikkal strengthened the top order with 433 runs and 3 fifties at a strike rate of 171.82. Venkatesh Iyer has 158 runs at 177.52 in 4 games.
Rajat Patidar has 393 runs at a strike rate of 183.64. Patidar handled the middle order with Tim David, Jitesh Sharma and Romario Shepherd. Tim David contributed 277 runs at 197.85.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar leads the bowling unit with 24 wickets in 14 games and has an economy of 8. Krunal Pandya picked up 11 wickets in 14 innings. Josh Hazlewood has 12 wickets in 11 games. Rasikh Salam and Suyash Sharma have 14 and 9 wickets, respectively.
Kohli, Patidar and Bhuvneshwar are the key players.
Predicted Lineup: Virat Kohli, Venkatesh Iyer/Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam
GT depends heavily on their top order. Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill have done most of the scoring. Gill has 616 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of 161.67 and registered 6 fifties. Sudharsan has 638 runs in 14 innings at 157.92, including one century and 7 fifties.
Jos Buttler has 469 runs in 14 innings with four fifties at a strike rate of 155.29. The bowling attack remained one of the most consistent units this season. Kagiso Rabada picked up 24 wickets in 14 matches and stayed in the Purple Cap race.
Rashid Khan and Mohammed Siraj claimed 19 and 17 wickets respectively. Jason Holder took 13 wickets in 8 games, while Prasidh Krishna impressed with 14 wickets from 9 matches.
Sudharsan, Gill and Rabada are the key players.
Predicted Lineup: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasish Krishna, Sai Kishore
Gujarat Titans look slightly ahead in this Qualifier because of their stronger bowling attack. Their bowlers have delivered consistently throughout the season, and the numbers clearly support that advantage. GTβs top five wicket-takers combined for 87 wickets, which stayed well ahead of RCBβs tally of 70.
Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan and Siraj give them multiple wicket-taking options in every phase of the innings. RCBβs batting depth can keep them competitive, but GTβs bowling unit looked more reliable under pressure. GT are likely to control the key moments of the game and book a place in the final.
