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Virat Kohli in RCB vs GT IPL 2026 final (Source: AP)
The IPL 2026 will be remembered as one of the most exciting seasons in the history of the tournament.
The season ended on a historic note as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) successfully defended their title and became only the third team after Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians to win back-to-back IPL trophies.
While the tournament produced many memorable moments, a few matches stood out because of their intensity and unforgettable performances.
From a thrilling Super Over clash to a record-breaking run chase, here are the five best matches of IPL 2026.
Top 5 Matches Of IPL 2026
5) RCB vs MI (Match 54)
One of the most dramatic matches of the season took place on May 10 in Raipur, where RCB defeated Mumbai Indians by two wickets.
After winning the toss, RCB chose to bowl first and immediately gained control. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the experienced pacer, destroyed Mumbai's top order, dismissing Ryan Rickelton, Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav inside the powerplay.
However, Tilak Varma played a fighting knock and made 57 runs off 42 balls, while Naman Dhir contributed 47 runs to help Mumbai recover and post a respectable total of 166/7.
RCB's chase started disastrously when Virat Kohli was dismissed for a first-ball duck. The RCB side soon slipped to 39/3 and looked in serious trouble.
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The game changed when Krunal Pandya produced one of the finest knocks of the season. Despite suffering from severe muscle cramps, he smashed 73 runs off just 46 balls.
RCB needed 15 runs from the last six balls. Bhuvneshwar Kumar hit a crucial six before the equation came down to two runs off the final delivery.
Rasikh Salam then sprinted back for a quick double, helping RCB complete a thrilling victory.
4) IPL 2026 Final - RCB vs GT
The IPL 2026 final was another memorable occasion as RCB defeated Gujarat Titans by five wickets to successfully defend their title on May 31.
Playing in front of a packed crowd in Ahmedabad, RCB won the toss and elected to bowl. Their bowlers executed a clever short-ball strategy that completely disrupted Gujarat's top order.
Although Washington Sundar scored a fighting half-century, GT could only manage a modest total.
RCB then came out aggressively in the chase. Virat Kohli and Impact Player Venkatesh Iyer gave the team a flying start.
A brief middle-order collapse, triggered by Rashid Khan, created some tension in the RCB camp. Battling through injury, Virat Kohli scored an unbeaten 75 off 42 balls at a strike-rate of 165.84.
It is important to mention that this is the first time since 2025 that GT, when put into bat first in Ahmedabad, have lost a match.
GT when put into bat first in Ahmedabad since 2025
- Won by 36 runs vs MI
- Won by 58 runs vs RR
- Won by 38 runs vs SRH
- Won by 82 runs vs SRH
- Won by 89 runs vs CSK
- Lost by 5 wickets vs RCB
3) GT vs DC- 8 April (Match 14)
The clash between Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals on April 8 produced one of the closest finishes of the season.
Batting first, Gujarat Titans put up a huge score of 210/4. Captain Shubman Gill led from the front with an elegant 70 off 45 balls. Jos Buttler provided early momentum with a quick-fire 52, while Washington Sundar scored an impressive 55 runs off 32 balls.
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Delhi faced a daunting target but fought brilliantly throughout the chase. KL Rahul played one of the best innings of the season, scoring a magnificent 92 off just 52 balls and keeping his team in contention.
Rashid Khan then produced a game-changing spell, picking up three wickets for only 17 runs. The match came down to the final over with DC needing 13 runs.
With two runs required from the final ball, David Miller missed a slower delivery from Prasidh Krishna.
As the batters attempted a desperate run, Jos Buttler collected the ball and hit the stumps directly, running out Kuldeep Yadav. The dramatic run-out sealed a remarkable one-run victory for GT.
2) DC vs PBKS (Match 35)
Match 35 between Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings rewrote the IPL record books. Delhi Capitals posted a massive total with significant contribution from KL Rahul.
The opener remained unbeaten on 152 runs, becoming the first Indian batter to score more than 150 runs in IPL history. Along with Nitish Rana, he added a huge 220-run partnership that helped Delhi reach 264 runs.
Most teams would have considered such a target impossible. However, Punjab Kings had other plans.
Openers Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya launched a fearless attack from the beginning. They smashed 116 runs in the powerplay without losing a wicket, registering the second-highest powerplay score in IPL history.
The successful chase of 265 runs became the highest successful run chase in IPL history, surpassing Punjab's previous record of 261 against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024.
1) KKR vs LSG (Super-Over) Match 38
The best match of IPL 2026 was undoubtedly the thrilling contest between KKR and LSG.
KKR appeared in trouble for most of their innings after Mohsin Khan delivered a sensational bowling performance. He claimed his maiden IPL five-wicket haul with figures of 5/23.
Just when the match seemed lost, Rinku Singh produced an incredible counterattack. LSG's chase was equally dramatic as Rishabh Pant played a crucial innings of 42 runs.
The game reached its climax when LSG required seven runs from the final ball. In a moment that stunned everyone, Mohammed Shami launched a massive six to tie the scores and force a Super Over.
In the Super Over, Sunil Narine completely dominated LSG, dismissing Nicholas Pooran and Aiden Markram while conceding only one run.
Chasing just two runs, KKR needed only one ball, and Rinku Singh smashed a boundary to seal the win.
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