The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) President, Mithun Manhas, commended Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for their strong performance following their victory in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) final.

RCB secured their second consecutive IPL title by defeating Gujarat Titans (GT) by five wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

RCB became the third team, after Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, to successfully defend their IPL championship. After restricting GT to 155/8 in 20 overs, the Rajat Patidar-led RCB chased down the target with five wickets in hand and two overs remaining.

Speaking to reporters, Manhas applauded RCB’s consistent form over the past two seasons, stating, “I think they (RCB) have been playing some good cricket from the last two seasons, and as a unit they are performing really well.”

Describing the IPL as an engaging tournament, Manhas expressed optimism about its future growth: “It’s a great tournament. It was a lot of fun to watch, and we hope it continues to grow and the IPL continues to grow at a higher level.”

Manhas also praised Rajasthan Royals batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, calling him a “great talent” and highlighting his outstanding performance throughout the season. The 15-year-old Bihar-born batter ended the tournament as the highest run-scorer, amassing 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.30.

Sooryavanshi set a new IPL record as the youngest Orange Cap winner at 15 years and 65 days old, surpassing the previous record held by Gujarat Titans opener Sai Sudharsan, who won it at 23 years and 231 days in 2025. Manhas reiterated, “We all know he’s (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi) a great talent, and he performed extremely well this season.”

In the final, Gujarat Titans batted first and scored 155/8, with Washington Sundar (50* in 37 balls, including five fours) and Nishant Sindhu (20 in 18 balls, including three fours) reaching double figures. Bowlers Rasikh Dar Salam (3/27), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/29), and Josh Hazlewood (2/37) took regular wickets.