DHARAMSHALA: Royal Challengers Bengaluru produced a batting blitzkrieg to crush Gujarat Titans by 92 runs in Qualifier 1 of the IPL at the picturesque HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala on May 26, booking a direct berth in the final in emphatic fashion.
Led by skipper Rajat Patidar, RCB posted a mammoth 254/5 — the highest total ever recorded in an IPL playoff match.
Patidar remained unbeaten on a sensational 93 off just 33 balls, hammering the Gujarat bowlers all around the park and electrifying the packed mountain venue.
RCB’s batting unit came out firing from the start, piling up boundaries at will on the batting-friendly Dharamshala surface. The crowd erupted repeatedly as the Bengaluru batters turned the qualifier into a run-fest under the Dhauladhar ranges.
In reply, Gujarat Titans failed to cope with the steep chase and were bundled out for 162 runs. RCB bowlers kept striking at regular intervals, never allowing Gujarat to settle into the contest.
The massive victory margin not only sealed RCB’s place in the IPL final but also sent a strong warning to the remaining teams in the tournament.
The Dharamshala crowd witnessed one of the most explosive playoff performances in IPL history as Bengaluru combined fearless batting with disciplined bowling to dominate the qualifier from start to finish.
