Cricket
-Gaurav Sharma
Royal Challengers Bengaluru marched into the IPL 2026 final after crushing Gujarat Titans by 92 runs in Qualifier 1 at Dharamsala. With this dominant win, the defending champion became only the fourth franchise to reach back-to-back Indian Premier League finals.
The victory confirmed Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s second straight title clash appearance, after also playing the final in 2025. Gujarat Titans, who lost heavily in this knockout, had themselves featured in the championship matches in 2022 and 2023, winning the trophy in their debut season.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Gujarat Titans by 92 runs in the IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 on May 26, 2026, reaching their second consecutive final. They join Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, and Gujarat Titans as the only franchises achieving this feat.
IPL consecutive finals record and IPL consecutive finals streaks
Before Royal Challengers Bengaluru joined this group, Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans were the only teams with successive IPL finals. Chennai Super Kings set the early standard with four straight finals from 2010 to 2013, lifting the trophy twice in that dominant stretch.
| Team | Years of consecutive IPL finals | Number of consecutive finals |
|---|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 | 4 |
| Mumbai Indians | 2019, 2020 | 2 |
| Gujarat Titans | 2022, 2023 | 2 |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 2025, 2026 | 2 |
Mumbai Indians later recorded their own run of consecutive finals and converted both into titles, winning in 2019 and 2020. The result in Dharamsala, captured by photographer Shashi Shekhar Kashyap, now placed Royal Challengers Bengaluru alongside these three teams in the league’s history books.
The IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 outcome on May 26, 2026 therefore carried significance beyond a single match. Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured a place in another final while also matching a rare consistency mark that only Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans had previously achieved.
