India, May 26 -- Royal Challengers Bengaluru enter Qualifier 1 of IPL 2026 with the weight of a table-topping campaign and the urgency of a direct route to the final.

RCB finished the league stage with 18 points from 14 matches, ahead of Gujarat Titans on net run rate, turning the playoff opener in Dharamsala into a proper top-two collision. The winner will move straight into the final, while the loser will have to survive Qualifier 2.

For RCB, the stage carries extra meaning. This is no longer just about making the playoffs or carrying the emotional baggage of past seasons. Their league-stage campaign has given them control, credibility and the chance to dictate the business end of the tournament. Virat Kohli has again been central to ...