Dharamshala: After completing 70 thrilling matches in the league stage, the tournament has now moved one step closer to the grand finale as Indian Premier League Match 71 – Qualifier 1- is set to witness a high-voltage clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans at HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala, on Tuesday, 26 May, at 7:30 PM. With a place in the final at stake, the result of this blockbuster encounter will decide the first finalist of the season.
The top two teams on the points table finished their league stage campaigns with identical records — both played 14 matches, winning 9 and losing 5, to finish with 18 points each. The only difference between them is the Net Run Rate (NRR), with RCB holding a superior NRR of +0.783 compared to GT’s +0.695. Interestingly, this will be the first-ever playoff meeting between the two franchises in IPL history, while Gujarat Titans will also be playing for the first time at the Dharamshala stadium.
The defending champions RCB have enjoyed another outstanding season and continue to hold the top position on the table. Although they lacked consistency in a few matches during the middle phase of the tournament, they made a remarkable comeback. Their batting and bowling departments have looked balanced and dominant throughout the season. Virat Kohli has once again led from the front, already scoring 557 runs at a strike rate of 163.82, while Devdutt Padikkal and Rajat Patidar have contributed significantly with the bat. Their bowling attack has also been in superb form, led brilliantly by Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
RCB have also received a major boost ahead of this crucial clash as Phil Salt has recovered from injury and is fit for the IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 against Gujarat Titans . However, the team management is yet to decide whether he will feature in the playing XI. Salt had missed the latter part of the league stage after featuring in the first six matches of the season. Speaking at the pre-match press conference on Monday, captain Rajat Patidar said: “Salt is fit, he is under observation. But we have not decided yet on our playing XI. We will look at the wicket and then we will decide.”
On the other hand, Gujarat Titans had a shaky start to the season but bounced back incredibly well to secure a place in the playoffs. Their batting unit has heavily depended on the top-order trio of Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler. Meanwhile, their bowling attack has emerged as one of the strongest and most dominant in the tournament with stars like Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Rashid Khan, Prasidh Krishna, and Jason Holder.
This clash also presents several fascinating individual battles. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has an outstanding T20 record against Gill, Buttler, and Sudharsan, dismissing Buttler nine times and Gill five times in the format. Meanwhile, all eyes will also be on Virat Kohli facing Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada during the powerplay overs.
The two teams have already faced each other twice this season, with both sides registering one victory each. In their first meeting, Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured an impressive 5-wicket win, while Gujarat Titans bounced back strongly in the second encounter with a thrilling 4-wicket victory. Overall, the rivalry between the two franchises has remained evenly balanced over the years, with both teams winning four matches each out of their eight IPL encounters, making this Qualifier 1 clash even more exciting and intense.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Squad:
Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar, Devdutt Padikkal, Jordan Cox, Jitesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethell, Venkatesh Iyer, Swapnil Singh, Satvik Deswal, Mangesh Yedave, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, Kanish Chohan, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Jacob Duffy, Nuwan Thushara, Abhinandan Singh.
RCB Playing XI:
Venkatesh Iyer, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam Dar.
Impact Player: Suyash Sharma
Gujarat Titans Squad:
Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler, Kumar Kushagra, Anuj Rawat, Tom Banton, Glenn Phillips, Sai Sudharsan, Nishant Sindhu, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Arshad Khan, Sai Kishore, Jayant Yadav, Jason Holder, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Singh Brar, Ishant Sharma, Ashok Sharma, Luke Wood, Kulwant Khejroliya, Rashid Khan.
GT Playing XI:
Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Arshad Khan.
Impact Player: Nishant Sindhu
The weather in Dharamshala is expected to remain partly cloudy, with chances of scattered showers during the evening. Although a complete washout is not expected, there remains a moderate possibility of rain interruptions or brief delays during the match. The temperature is likely to stay pleasant, while the overcast conditions could assist fast bowlers with extra swing and seam movement at the HPCA Stadium. Overall, fans can still expect a good amount of play, though weather conditions may influence the flow of the game.
The pitch at the HPCA Stadium is expected to be batting-friendly with good pace and bounce for this IPL clash between RCB and GT. Due to Dharamshala’s high-altitude conditions, the ball tends to travel quickly, which generally benefits aggressive stroke-makers and makes six-hitting easier. At the same time, fast bowlers are also likely to receive assistance with swing and seam movement early in the innings because of the cool and cloudy weather. As the match progresses, batting is expected to become easier under lights, especially if dew develops in the second innings. Teams winning the toss may prefer to bowl first, considering both the weather factor and the chasing advantage seen at this venue in recent matches. A high-scoring and entertaining contest is expected if rain does not interrupt play. With a place in the Indian Premier League final at stake, this promises to be one of the most exciting and intense matches of the season, as two of the tournament’s best teams battle for a direct spot in the grand finale. The losing team will still get another chance in Qualifier 2, keeping their hopes alive for the final.
