During the second innings of the iconic IPL 2026 match in Narendra Modi Stadium at Ahmedabad, Royal Challengers Bengaluru got off to a flying start while chasing 156. GT bowler Kagiso Rabada was leaking runs, conceding 37 in his first two overs. On the first ball of his third over, RCB opener Devdutt Padikkal tried to back away and use Rabada's pace.

He only managed a thick outside edge. Arshad Khan, stationed perfectly at deep third, reacted quickly, ran well, and safely judged the high slice to secure a crucial breakthrough for GT. Gujarat Titans fast bowler Kagiso Rabada was enduring a tough night, giving away 44 runs in his brief 3-over spell. RCB's openers had completely broken open the Powerplay.

Seeking a breakthrough, Rabada pushed a wide, pace-heavy delivery across the left-handed Devdutt Padikkal. Stationed out at third man, Arshad Khan judged the swirling trajectory perfectly. He didn't panic, kept his eyes locked on the ball under the stadium lights, and took a flawless catch to hand GT an avenue back into the game.

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Padikkal's stay was cut short at just 1 run off 4 balls. While Royal Challengers Bengaluru remained firmly ahead in their low chase of 156, Arshad Khan's precise grab temporarily lifted GT's spirits in an otherwise grueling bowling effort. Earlier in the first innings, Gujarat Titans found themselves in immense trouble.

The team struggled heavily to hit boundaries under strict discipline from the RCB bowlers. Promoted up the order, Arshad Khan injected massive momentum. He smashed a blistering 15 runs off just 6 balls, operating at a massive strike rate of 250.00.

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Arshad’s entertaining counter-attack was cut short in the 15th over by Josh Hazlewood. Hazlewood pounded the deck with a fierce, hard-length delivery that hurried the left-hander. Attempting a pull shot, Arshad mistimed the bounce completely. The ball caught a steep top-edge and floated straight into the hands of the fielder at short fine leg, leaving GT struggling at 99/5.

Gujarat Titans take two quick wickets in second innings against RCB

The dramatic double-strike by the Gujarat Titans (GT) momentarily disrupted Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) fierce 156-run chase during the Powerplay of the IPL 2026 Final. Facing a brutal onslaught that had the Titans on the back foot, GT's pace spearheads dug deep to manufacture two quick wickets in consecutive overs.

RCB brought in Venkatesh Iyer as an Impact Player, and he went on an absolute rampage. He plundered a swift 32 runs off just 16 balls, striking at 200.00 with 4 boundaries and 2 sixes. Desperate to stop the bleeding, GT's Mohammed Siraj bowled a smart, tight delivery that fooled Iyer, causing him to mistime a big hit and end his explosive cameo. Right after Iyer's departure, Kagiso Rabada line-corrected his spell. Bowling to left-handed Devdutt Padikkal, Rabada pushed a quick, wide delivery across the batter.

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Padikkal backed away, attempting an aggressive slice over the off-side field. He only managed a thick outside edge that ballooned high into the air. Stationed out at third man, Arshad Khan tracked the swirling, high-altitude ball perfectly under the intense stadium lights. He remained steady under immense pressure, securing a clean catch to dismiss Padikkal for just 1 run off 4 balls.

The double-blow dragged RCB from a cruising position to 84/2 in the 8th over. While the two quick wickets provided GT with a much-needed morale boost, Virat Kohli remained completely unfazed at the other end, blasting a rapid 38 off 16 deliveries* to keep RCB heavily favored for the title.