RCB vs GT [WATCH]: Rajat Patidar takes a sensational running catch to remove Shubman Gill during IPL 2026 Final

The grand stage of the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad was electric on Sunday, as the highly anticipated IPL 2026 Final got underway between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Winning the crucial toss, RCB captain Rajat Patidar elected to field first, putting the pressure squarely on GT’s top order. The decision paid rich dividends early on as RCB’s disciplined bowling unit tore through the Titans’ heavyweights, fueled by a brilliant piece of athleticism on the field that broke the back of the host team’s batting lineup.

Rajat Patidar’s brilliant running grab ends Shubman Gill’s stay in IPL 2026 Final

The definitive moment of the early overs arrived in the third over of the match. Standing at 22/0, Gujarat Titans were relying heavily on their captain and star opener, Shubman Gill, to anchor the innings. Facing a sharp 142kph delivery from Australian speedster Josh Hazlewood on the second ball of his spell, Gill attempted to break the shackles with an aggressive cross-batted shot.

Hazlewood delivered a testing back-of-a-length ball just outside the off-stump, keeping Gill locked inside his crease. As Gill attempted to whip the ball over the infield, it struck the higher portion of his bat, ballooning awkwardly into the sky over the mid-off region. Patidar, tracking the trajectory intently from mid-off, initiated a sensational running sprint to his right. Displaying immense composure under immense pressure, Patidar kept his eyes glued to the ball and safely secured a remarkable running catch. Gill was sent packing for a brief 10 off 8 balls, which included two boundaries, leaving the Ahmedabad crowd stunned.

Here’s the video:

2️⃣ massive wickets. 1️⃣ dream start! 💥

What a start for #RCB in Ahmedabad 🔥

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— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 31, 2026

GT in trouble after a top order batting collapse against RCB

Gill’s departure triggered a major top-order collapse for the Gujarat Titans, leaving them reeling heavily under the pressure of the IPL 2026 Final. Shortly after the captain’s exit, veteran swing bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck in the fourth over, removing the dangerous Sai Sudharsan for a scratchy 12 off 12 balls, caught behind by wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma following an unsuccessful DRS review early in the game.

The introduction of Rasikh Salam compounded the Titans’ woes. In the eighth over, Salam dismissed Nishant Sindhu for 20 runs off 18 deliveries, thanks to a sharp catch by Devdutt Padikkal. By the time the strategic timeout was called at the conclusion of the 9th over, Gujarat Titans had limped to a precarious 59/3, managing a sluggish current run rate of 6.55.

RCB’s bowling attack maintained an absolute stranglehold, with Krunal Pandya leading the restrictive effort by conceding just 9 runs in his two overs. While Jos Buttler remained unbeaten at the crease on 12 from 13 balls alongside Washington Sundar, the early damage inflicted by Hazlewood, Kumar, and Salam left the Titans with a massive recovery mountain to climb in the absolute pinnacle clash of the season.