The ultimate glory of the IPL 2026 Final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad quickly turned into a logistical nightmare for the Gujarat Titans (GT). On the night of May 31, 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) created history on GT’s home turf, triggering contrasting emotions of ecstasy and exhaustion. While Bengaluru erupted in celebration, the Titans were left to nurse the wounds of a heavy defeat, a heartbreak that was compounded hours later by an alarming, unexpected ordeal on the dark streets of Ahmedabad.
GT’s rough night gets worse as team bus breaks down after IPL 2026 Final loss
Sunday night went from bad to worse for Gujarat Titans. Hours after suffering defeat in the IPL 2026 final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the Gujarat squad endured an alarming ordeal on their way back to the team hotel in Ahmedabad. Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj later shared proof of it in an Instagram story, captioned: “Breakdown”, where he, along with three of his team members, are seen seated on the roadside.
According to a reports, the team bus carrying the Gujarat players and the support staff suffered a breakdown while on its way to the hotel after the IPL final loss to Royal Challenge Bengaluru. The report added that the team members, who are all safe and unhurt despite smoke spreading inside the bus, waited on the road for a short while before another bus was arranged to take them to the hotel.
It has been a challenging 24 hours for Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad. The team arrived late in the city following their Qualifier 2 win over Rajasthan Royals in Mullanpur on Friday after adverse weather conditions in north India temporarily affected flight operations in Chandigarh. Their flight was delayed by nearly three hours, leaving them with less than 24 hours to prepare for the final. The delay even forced the postponement of the pre-match captains’ photoshoot. Gujarat also had to navigate a demanding travel schedule during the playoffs. After completing their league-stage campaign at home, they travelled to Dharamsala for Qualifier 1 against RCB. Following that defeat, they headed to Punjab for Qualifier 2 before returning to Ahmedabad for Sunday’s title clash.
Virat Kohli powers RCB to back-to-back IPL titles with a win over GT
Before the roadside breakdown, it was a vintage Virat Kohli masterclass that broke GT’s spirits on the field. Batting first, the Gujarat Titans never found their rhythm against a disciplined RCB bowling attack. Rasikh Salam dismantled the middle order to finish with brilliant figures of 3 for 27, while veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/29) and Josh Hazlewood (2/37) applied relentless pressure.
Aside from Washington Sundar’s fighting, unbeaten 50 off 37 balls (featuring 5 boundaries) and a brief 20-run cameo from Nishant Sindhu, the Titans’ top order crumbled. Skipper Shubman Gill was dismissed for just 10, and Sai Sudharsan managed 12. GT dragged themselves to a sub-par total of 155/8 in their 20 overs.
The chase was a showcase of pure dominance by RCB, who played as the designated home team after the final was shifted to Ahmedabad. Impact Player Venkatesh Iyer set the tone instantly, blasting a rapid 32 off just 16 balls. But the undisputed hero of the night was Virat Kohli.
Kohli anchored the innings flawlessly, anchoring one end to smash an unbeaten 75 runs off 42 balls, punctuated by 10 boundaries and 2 towering sixes. Despite a clinical spell from GT’s Rashid Khan (2/25), RCB cruised past the target, reaching 161/5 in just 18 overs. Winning by 5 wickets with 12 balls to spare, RCB secured back-to-back IPL titles. Kohli was deservingly named Player of the Match, capping off a historic season that also saw young prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi take home the Player of the Tournament award for his dream run with Rajasthan Royals.
Also READ: Complete list of IPL Emerging Player Award Winners ft. Vaibhav Suryavanshi
