3 min readMay 26, 2026 05:15 PM IST
Former Pakistan batsman Basit Ali has backed the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to beat the Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 and enter the final of IPL 2026, drawing a comparison with Peshawar Zalmi’s 2026 Pakistan Super League title-winning campaign.
The reference to Zalmi’s 2026 PSL triumph was made in the context of a dominant, consistent playoff run, where they beat Islamabad United in Qualifier 1 and reached the final.
“RCB will do exactly what Peshawar Zalmi did—straightforward domination. If anyone can challenge RCB, it is Sunrisers Hyderabad. Otherwise, no one else has a chance,” he said on the ‘Game Plan’ podcast.
The reigning champions had qualified for the IPL 2025 final after beating Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 in New Chandigarh. They finished on top of the points table in IPL 2026, with 18 points in 14 matches.
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal referred to a recent match involving Sunrisers Hyderabad and Virat Kohli, highlighting a brief post-match moment that drew attention. “In the last match between Sunrisers Hyderabad, Travis Head, and Virat Kohli, there was that handshake moment—no handshake happened,” Akmal said.
“Something felt off. Otherwise, Virat is not that kind of person,” he said, without suggesting any deeper context,” Ali added.
Akmal also picked RCB to win Qualifier 1, admitting that they had more depth in their squad.
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“I feel RCB are very dangerous on that ground. Their top three batters—Shubman Gill, Sudarshan, and Jos Buttler—are very strong. RCB’s batting goes very deep till 7 or 8. Their bowling is also very strong. It will be a high-scoring match. I feel it will go beyond 200, maybe even 220–225.” he added.
Basit criticised Mumbai Indians, claiming their results in the closing phase of the season had a direct impact on the playoff race and altered the fate of multiple teams. He suggested that MI’s defeat in a key match against the Rajasthan Royals effectively eliminated the Punjab Kings, while also affecting the qualification hopes of Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals.
“For me, the biggest thing is that Mumbai Indians have done an injustice to three teams. They lost a winning match, knocked Punjab out, knocked KKR out, and also ruined Delhi’s chances. Basically, they have completely changed the situation,” Basit said, reflecting his frustration with how the late-season results unfolded.
