Royal Challengers Bengaluru successfully defended their Indian Premier League crown on Sunday, defeating Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Chasing a target of 156, RCB reached 161/5 with two overs to spare, becoming only the third franchise in IPL history, after Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, to win back-to-back titles.

After winning the toss, RCB captain Rajat Patidar elected to bowl first, and his decision paid immediate dividends as the Bengaluru seam attack dismantled Gujarat’s star-studded batting line-up.

Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar set the tone by removing Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan early, exposing the Titans’ middle order. RCB’s bowlers repeatedly exploited short-pitched deliveries, with six of Gujarat’s eight dismissed batters falling to balls of a similar length.

Gujarat struggled to build meaningful partnerships throughout the innings. Nishant Sindhu attempted to accelerate the scoring but perished while trying to clear the boundary, while wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals.

Amid the collapse, Washington Sundar stood firm with an unbeaten 50 from 37 deliveries. His composed knock anchored the innings and helped Gujarat post a competitive total despite the constant setbacks.

Late contributions from Arshad Khan, who struck 15 off six balls, and brief cameos from Rahul Tewatia and Jason Holder added valuable runs, but RCB’s disciplined attack ensured Gujarat finished on 155/8.

Bengaluru’s chase began in explosive fashion. Virat Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer raced to the team’s half-century in just 3.3 overs, the fastest fifty recorded in an IPL final, immediately placing Gujarat under pressure.

Iyer justified his promotion up the order with a brisk 32 from 16 balls before Mohammed Siraj claimed his wicket. Kagiso Rabada then dismissed Devdutt Padikkal for one, a breakthrough that secured the Purple Cap for the season.

Gujarat briefly fought back when Rashid Khan removed both Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya in quick succession, while Tim David’s dismissal offered the Titans a glimmer of hope.

However, Kohli remained in complete control of the chase. The former RCB captain produced a masterful unbeaten 75 from 42 balls, bringing up his half-century in just 25 deliveries before expertly guiding his side toward the target.

Jitesh Sharma provided steady support as Bengaluru crossed the finish line with 12 balls remaining, sparking celebrations among the RCB faithful.

Kohli’s match-winning innings earned him the Player of the Match award and capped another memorable season for the veteran batter. The victory delivered RCB their second IPL title and further strengthened their status among the league’s elite franchises.

For Gujarat Titans, the defeat marked another heartbreaking final loss after an otherwise impressive campaign, echoing their narrow title-clash disappointment against Chennai Super Kings in 2023.

French police arrested hundreds of people overnight after celebrations of Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League triumph descended into violence in parts of Paris and other cities across France.

Thousands of supporters took to the streets following PSG’s dramatic victory over Arsenal in the Champions League final in Budapest on Saturday evening. The win secured the Paris club’s second consecutive European crown, making PSG only the second team in the modern Champions League era to successfully defend the title.

According to France’s Interior Ministry, 416 people were arrested nationwide, including 283 in Paris alone, as authorities responded to multiple incidents of disorder linked to the celebrations.

Large crowds gathered along the Champs-Élysées and around the Arc de Triomphe, where fans waved flags, set off flares and fireworks, and celebrated into the night. While most supporters marked the occasion peacefully, police reported that smaller groups engaged in vandalism, looting and arson.

Authorities said several vehicles were set on fire, shops were damaged, and fires were started in different parts of the capital. One police officer was reported injured during the disturbances.

Police also dispersed a group that attempted to storm a police station in Paris’s 8th arrondissement. By late evening, dozens of people had already been taken into custody as security forces moved to restore order.

The city’s main ring road was temporarily blocked by celebrating supporters before police cleared the area. Officers also intervened near PSG’s Parc des Princes stadium, where around 1,000 fans had gathered and erected makeshift barricades using bicycles and other objects.

French authorities had deployed large numbers of security personnel in anticipation of mass celebrations, mindful of the scenes that followed PSG’s first Champions League triumph in 2025. Last year, more than 500 people were arrested nationwide and over 200 people were injured in Paris during celebrations.

Despite the unrest, PSG supporters across France celebrated a historic achievement for the club, which has now established itself among Europe’s elite by winning back-to-back Champions League titles.

Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi produced one of the most explosive innings in IPL history as Rajasthan Royals stormed into Qualifier 2 with a commanding 47-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator at Mullanpur.

The teenage sensation smashed a breathtaking 97 off just 29 balls, powering Rajasthan to a massive total of 243 before the Royals bowled out Hyderabad well short of the target.

Fittingly, it was Sooryavanshi who sealed the win, taking the final catch as Rajasthan booked a Qualifier 2 clash with Gujarat Titans for a place in the IPL final.

Sunrisers captain Pat Cummins’ decision to bowl first quickly backfired as Rajasthan launched a relentless assault from the opening overs. Sooryavanshi turned the match into a personal showcase, hammering five fours and 12 sixes at a staggering strike rate above 330.

Eight of his sixes came during the powerplay — the most by any batter in that phase of an IPL innings. His half-century came in only 16 balls, equalling the record for the fastest fifty in IPL playoff history previously set by Suresh Raina.

The innings also saw Sooryavanshi surpass Chris Gayle’s long-standing record for the most sixes in a single T20 tournament. The youngster’s season tally climbed to 65 sixes, overtaking Gayle’s previous mark of 59 set during the 2012 IPL season.

Hyderabad’s bowlers struggled throughout as yorkers, slower balls and changes in length all disappeared into the stands. Sooryavanshi eventually fell just three runs short of a sensational century after mistiming an attempt over deep third man, but by then Rajasthan had already seized complete control.

Dhruv Jurel maintained the momentum with a blistering half-century off just 21 deliveries as Rajasthan finished with a daunting 243 despite Hyderabad tightening up slightly at the death.

Chasing a huge total in a knockout match, Sunrisers were forced into an aggressive approach from the start. Jofra Archer struck early, removing Hyderabad’s top three, including Abhishek Sharma for a duck in the opening over.

Nitish Kumar Reddy and impact substitute Salil Arora briefly revived the chase with a rapid fifty-run partnership, while Heinrich Klaasen entertained with several attacking strokes, including a remarkable inside-out six over extra cover.

However, Rajasthan regained control through Ravindra Jadeja, who dismissed Reddy for a quickfire 38 before removing Arora soon after. From there, Hyderabad’s innings collapsed rapidly as wickets fell in clusters.

For Sunrisers Hyderabad, a season built on explosive batting ended in disappointment despite crossing the 200-run mark nine times during the campaign.

Rajasthan Royals, meanwhile, head into Qualifier 2 full of confidence, with Sooryavanshi emerging as one of the standout stars of the tournament and a major threat heading into the final stages of the competition.

The Qualifier 2 match will feature Rajasthan Royals going head-to-head against the Gujarat Titans. The winner of this knockout match will advance to play defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the grand final.

IPL fans in Afghanistan can tune in on Friday to Ariana Television for a live broadcast of the event.