
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) capped off a dream season in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 with their second straight title, proving once again why they remain one of the most exciting franchises in the competition. The team’s balanced squad, led by star batters and a strong bowling unit, delivered consistent results throughout the campaign.
RCB became only the third franchise in IPL history to win back-to-back titles. Adding to the glory, they became the first team to simultaneously hold two consecutive IPL titles and a Women’s Premier League crown. This rare achievement highlighted the depth and success of the entire RCB setup across both men’s and women’s formats.
Virat Kohli once again proved he is in a league of his own. The former RCB skipper registered the fastest IPL fifty of his career, reaching the milestone in just 25 balls. He also scored a staggering 675 runs, becoming the first player to score 600-plus runs in four consecutive IPL seasons.
Kohli’s dominance against specific bowlers stood out too. He scored 82 runs against Kagiso Rabada across their meetings this season, the most by any batter against a single bowler in a single IPL edition. His consistency and big-match temperament kept RCB in contention right till the end.
RCB’s batting firepower was on full display in the final. The team raced to 50 runs in just 3.3 overs, setting the fastest team fifty in an IPL Final. Rajat Patidar played a key supporting role, finishing the season with 501 runs and smashing 42 sixes, the third-highest tally in the entire competition. Devdutt Padikkal chipped in with 463 runs, adding stability to the middle order.
While the batters grabbed headlines, the bowlers quietly did the heavy lifting. Bhuvneshwar Kumar finished with 28 wickets in 16 innings, the second-highest tally of the season. His experience and swing bowling proved crucial in crunch moments.
Young Rasikh Salam Dar emerged as a breakout star, picking up 19 wickets, the most by an uncapped Indian bowler this season. Josh Hazlewood supported the pace attack with 15 wickets. Together, this trio formed a formidable unit that restricted opponents regularly. Krunal Pandya also celebrated a personal milestone, claiming his fifth IPL title with the winning squad.
Looking at the numbers, RCB’s success was built on all-round excellence. The most runs for RCB this season came from Virat Kohli (675), Rajat Patidar (501), and Devdutt Padikkal (463). On the bowling front, Bhuvneshwar Kumar led with 28 wickets, followed by Rasikh Salam Dar (19) and Josh Hazlewood (15).
These key stats from RCB in IPL 2026 show a team that blended experience with youth and aggression with smart cricket. Fans can expect the same hunger when the next season begins.
Aachal Maniyar is a Senior Content Producer at LiveMint, where she covers US sports with a focus on major leagues, marquee events, and athlete-driven stories, while also reporting extensively on cricket and global sports. With over five years of first-hand journalism experience, she combines sharp editorial judgment with real-time sports storytelling across platforms. <br><br> Her reporting journey spans leading newsrooms including Thomson Reuters, India TV, BTVI, ET NOW, and CNBC TV18, where she has worked across breaking news, live match coverage, feature writing, interviews, video scripting, and anchoring. This multi-platform exposure has shaped her ability to deliver context-rich sports and business journalism tailored for both television and digital audiences. <br><br> Aachal has conducted and produced exclusive interviews with athletes and public figures such as India cricketer Dhruv Jurel, Indian women’s hockey captain Savita Punia, and industrialist Ratan Tata, along with several emerging and established sports personalities. Her body of work includes in-depth explainers, athlete profiles, emotionally resonant fan narratives, and data-backed match analysis across cricket, Olympic sports, and international competitions. <br><br> She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and believes in reporting that is grounded in accuracy, clarity, and credibility. Her philosophy is simple: sports journalism should go beyond scores and statistics, capturing the human stories, pressure moments, and decisions that shape the game and the people who play it.
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