Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT) will be crossing paths in the first qualifier of the IPL 2026 season. The match will be hosted by the scenic HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Tuesday, May 26 and the action will commence from 7:30 PM IST onwards.
Defending champions RCB qualified for the playoffs by topping the IPL 2026 points table at the end of the league stage. Under the leadership of Rajat Patidar and the interim captaincy of Jitesh Sharma, the franchise registered nine wins at an expense of five defeats from 14 matches.
RCB garnered 18 points from their league fixtures, and their NRR of 0.783 stands the highest among all 10 teams this tournament.
The Gujarat Titans, on the other hand, finished second on the 10-team standings with 18 points and an NRR of 0.695. Much like the RCB, Shubman Gill and co. also registered nine wins and sustained five losses from their 14 league matches.
The Titans franchise has also won six of its last seven matches to enter the playoffs on a trail of a better winning momentum than the defending champions.
As both teams prepare for the mega clash, here are the HPCA Stadium pitch report and Dharamsala weather report for the RCB vs GT match.
Dharamsala Stadium Pitch Report for RCB vs GT- Qualifier 1, IPL 2026
Criterion
Data
Matches
17
Won batting first
10
Won batting second
7
Draw/NR
0/0
Avg first innings score
191.58
Avg second innings score
167.17
Avg run rate
8.64
% of wickets by pacers
75.74
% of wickets by spinners
24.25
(HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala IPL stats)
The Dharamsala Stadium pitch report of RCB vs GT says that ir is generally a high scoring venue, as the average first innings total here reads a staggering 191 in 17 IPL matches. In the ongoing IPL 2026 season alone, the average first innings total has emerged as high as 211.
In the three matches played here this season, there have been five instances of teams scoring in excess of 200. The only instance where a team did not aggregate 200 or more runs here was the 199-8 registered by hosts Punjab Kings last week.
Even though the HPCA Stadium generally favours sides batting first, the chasing teams have won two of the three matches played here this IPL 2026 season. The captain winning the toss will likely opt to field first in light of the recent results.
As per the RCB vs GT Pitch Report, the venue does not offer much to the spinners, and it is imperative for fast bowlers to make early inroads with the new ball before allowing the batters to settle in.
Dharamsala weather report for RCB vs GT- Qualifier 1, IPL 2026
Criterion
Details
Temperature
22°C
Wind
W 13 km/h
Probability of precipitation
0%
Cloud cover
5%
(Dharamsala Weather Report For RCB vs GT)
According to Accuweather, the weather around the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala is expected to be pleasant during the scheduled match time. As per the RCB vs GT Weather Forecast of Dharamsala, there is also no possibility of rain, allowing fans to enjoy an entertaining evening of cricket without any interruptions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the impending RCB vs GT Qualifier 1 might also turn out to be a high-scoring contest in Dharamsala. Both teams possess formidable batting line-ups, and have preferred chasing totals off late.
With weather indicating a perfect setting for a cricket match, fans can expect an exciting game worth of a qualifier.
![RCB vs GT Weather and Pitch Report [Source: AP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1779706697895_HPCA_Stadium.jpg?type=hq)
RCB vs GT Weather and Pitch Report [Source: AP]
