Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) face Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 on Tuesday, 26 May, at the HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala. The match begins at 7:30 PM IST with the winner advancing directly to the IPL 2026 Final on May 31 in Ahmedabad.
Vs
HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala
26 May 2026 07:30 PM
RCB top the points table with 18 points and an NRR of 0.783 while GT follow on 18 points with a lower NRR of 0.695. This is the biggest match of IPL 2026 so far with a direct final spot at stake. Dew is expected from the 12th over at HPCA. For 2nd innings fantasy, target altitude-boosted pace bowlers, in-form top-order batters, and premium all-rounders who earn points across both departments under Dharamsala playoff lights.
RCB vs GT Qualifier 1 IPL 2026 Match Details
| Match Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Match | RCB vs GT, Qualifier 1, IPL 2026 |
| Date | Tuesday, 26 May 2026 |
| Time | 7:30 PM IST (Toss at 7:00 PM IST) |
| Venue | HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala |
| Broadcast | Star Sports, JioHotstar |
| RCB Captain | Rajat Patidar |
| GT Captain | Shubman Gill |
| Winner | Advances directly to the IPL 2026 Final on May 31 |
| Loser | Gets a second chance in Qualifier 2 on May 29 in New Chandigarh |
Our Dream11 Team Recommendation for RCB vs GT Qualifier 1 (2nd Innings)
The points start after the 2nd innings begins, so build your team based on the 2nd innings only.
- Dream11 Team 1 (2nd Innings)
- Dream11 Team 2 (2nd Innings)
- Dream11 Team 3 (2nd Innings)
RCB vs GT Qualifier 1 Weather Report (26 May, Dharamsala)
| Weather Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Match-Time Temperature | ~20–23°C at 7:30 PM IST; cool Kangra valley mountain evening, dipping to 18°C by the final over; pleasant playing conditions throughout |
| Humidity | Moderate (~33–38%); cool mountain air keeps humidity manageable throughout the evening; significantly lower than coastal IPL venues in May |
| Wind Speed | Light to moderate mountain breeze, 4–14 km/h; gusts up to 28 km/h from the northeast; assists pace bowlers with lateral swing in the powerplay |
| Rain Probability | 10–15% — clear skies expected throughout the match; brief mountain showers possible but a full 40-over playoff match is the strong expectation |
| Dew Factor | Moderate — dew settles from the 12th over onwards under floodlights; lighter than coastal venues due to the dry mountain air but sufficient to reduce spin grip in the death overs of the 2nd innings; chasing teams have historically benefited from this dew advantage at HPCA |
| Match Interruption Risk | Low — HPCA sub-air drainage system can clear the ground in approximately 20 minutes if brief rain arrives; a full 40-over Qualifier 1 is expected |
Pitch Report – HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala
| Pitch Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch Type | Batting paradise with true and even bounce at 1,457 metres altitude; shots travel 10–12% further than at sea-level venues; the fast outfield amplifies the pace of drives and pulls; black soil base with a firm clay top layer rewards clean striking |
| Avg 1st Innings Score (IPL 2026) | 195–209 runs; both IPL 2026 matches at HPCA produced 200-plus scores and both targets were successfully chased; the average combined runs across all IPL matches at Dharamsala exceeds 370 per game |
| Toss Decision | Bowling first strongly preferred; chasing teams have won 56% of matches at HPCA in recent seasons; dew from the 12th over further assists the side batting second; both Patidar and Gill are expected to bowl first at the toss |
| Pace Assist | Excellent across all phases; thin mountain air at 1,457 metres generates additional swing, sharp seam movement, and carry to the keeper throughout the match; powerplay pace bowling is the highest-wicket-taking phase at this venue; Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kagiso Rabada, and Mohammed Siraj are the standout pacers in this Qualifier |
| Spin Assist | Moderate from overs 7 to 14 in the first innings; black soil provides grip for wrist-spin and orthodox left-arm; however, dew from the 12th over of the 2nd innings reduces spin effectiveness significantly in the death phase; Suyash Sharma is the pick of the spinners in this match if bowling in the first innings |
| Dew Effect | Moderate from the 12th over of the 2nd innings; mountain dew is lighter than at coastal or riverside venues but still reduces spin grip and makes the ball slippery in the death overs; pace bowlers retain full effectiveness through the dew-affected phase, reinforcing their premium 2nd innings fantasy value in this Qualifier |
RCB vs GT Qualifier 1 Head-to-Head Record
| Category | RCB | GT |
|---|---|---|
| Overall IPL Wins | 6 | 8 |
| Total IPL Meetings | 14 | 14 |
| Last Meeting (IPL 2026, League Stage) | Lost — GT won during the league stage fixture | Won the league stage meeting |
| At HPCA Dharamsala | No prior IPL playoff meetings at this specific venue | No prior IPL playoff meetings at this specific venue |
| IPL 2026 Season Form | Won 9 of 14 matches; 18 points; NRR 0.783 | Won 9 of 14 matches; 18 points; NRR 0.695 |
Suggested Reads:
Key Players to Watch in RCB vs GT Qualifier 1 for 2nd Innings
| Player | Team | Role | Key Insights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | RCB | Batter | The undisputed batting superstar of IPL 2026 and the player whose performances have driven RCB to the top of the table; finished the league stage with 484 runs at an average of 53.78, including a brilliant century of 105 off 60 balls against KKR and a crucial 61 in the final league match against SRH that sealed RCB’s first-place finish. |
| Sai Sudharsan | GT | Batter | The single highest run-scorer of IPL 2026 with 554 runs at an average of 50.36 and a strike rate of 149.73; his technically impeccable left-hand batting game and ability to accelerate smoothly from a measured start make him GT’s most valuable batter at a venue like Dharamsala where the pitch rewards classical timing over raw power. |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | RCB | Bowler | The Purple Cap holder and most consistent bowler of IPL 2026 with 22 wickets in 13 matches, making him the standout bowling pick in this match by a distance; his high-arm action and late-swing bowling at the HPCA Stadium benefits enormously from the mountain air at 1,457 metres, where thin atmosphere generates sharper lateral movement in the powerplay than at any sea-level venue. |
| Kagiso Rabada | GT | Bowler | GT’s most impactful pace weapon with 21 wickets this season and the most dangerous new-ball bowler in this specific fixture; his hard-length approach generates sharp carry and bounce from the HPCA surface in the powerplay, and the thin mountain air amplifies his pace delivery by making the ball swing later and carry further than at sea-level venues. |
| Shubman Gill | GT | Batter | GT’s captain and the most experienced and complete batter in this specific fixture with 552 runs across IPL 2026 at an average exceeding 40; his unbeaten 86 against KKR, his 84 against RR, and his consistent contributions across a five-match winning run earlier in the season demonstrate exactly the kind of temperament required in a high-stakes playoff match. |
