Patidar’s 93 anchors RCB assault in IPL Qualifier 1

Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar delivered a match-defining performance in the IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 against the Gujarat Titans at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on 26 May 2026. Batting at No. 4 following the early dismissals of Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli, Patidar scored 93 runs off 33 balls, including nine sixes. His innings, which featured seven sixes against pace bowlers, served as a direct rebuttal to pre-match comments suggesting he preferred fast bowlers over spinners.

The 32-year-old’s approach was initially measured, with Patidar working his way into the innings through quiet accumulation and strike rotation while RCB navigated the early loss of two set batters. His first significant statement arrived in the 11th over when he pulled Jason Holder deep into the stands over mid-wicket, bringing up RCB’s hundred and releasing the pressure that had been building.

Patidar’s innings was punctuated by moments of both skill and fortune. He survived close calls, including an inside edge for a bye off Prasidh Krishna and a leading edge that landed safely between fielders. A dropped catch by Kagiso Rabada in the same over proved costly for the Titans, as Patidar continued to dismantle the bowling attack with authority.

The momentum shifted decisively in the 15th over against Kulwant Khejroliya, where Patidar scored 28 runs. He targeted spinners as well, dispatching Rashid Khan with an inside-out six over cover. The assault intensified against Rabada, with Patidar bringing up a fifty off 21 balls before executing a rare back-foot drive over the covers in the seventh over.

Patidar concluded the IPL 2026 season with 486 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 196.76, including 41 sixes, with 27 of those coming against fast bowlers. Gujarat Titans won the toss and elected to field first, but Patidar’s aggressive intent and ability to handle both pace and spin defined the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s batting display.