IPL 2026: 'It hurts deeply,' says Shubman Gill on GT's final loss

Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill expressed disappointment on Instagram after losing the IPL 2026 final to RCB. GT scored 155/8, but Virat Kohli's 75* guided RCB to a five-wicket win, securing their second consecutive IPL title.

Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Shubman Gill expressed his disappointment after his side fell short in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 final, saying the team "came so close but couldn't get over the line" following a five-wicket defeat to back-to-back champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

GT suffered a heartbreaking loss against RCB in the grand finale held in Ahmedabad on May 31, bringing an end to their title campaign at the final hurdle. Sharing a message on Instagram, Gill reflected on the emotional setback while also highlighting resilience and the spirit of the game.

'There is no defeat in losing'

"We came so close but couldn't get over the line. It hurts deeply, and the disappointment weighs heavy, but this game that we all love teaches us so much about life. One thing it's taught me is that there is no defeat in losing, as long as we keep coming back and not give up," Gill wrote.

"I want to thank each and every one of you who stood by us through the highs and the lows. Your energy pushed us to the very end," the Gujarat skipper added.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ꮪhubman Gill (@shubmangill)

IPL 2026 Final Recap

Coming to the IPL 2026 final match, put to bat first by RCB, GT scored just 155/8 in 20 overs, with Washington Sundar (50* in 37 balls, with five fours) and Nishant Sindhu (20 in 18 balls, with three fours) being the only ones to cross the 20-run mark. Rasikh Dar Salam (3/27), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/29) and Josh Hazlewood (2/37) took wickets regularly.

RCB started well with a 62-run stand between Venkatesh Iyer (32 in 16 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) and Virat Kohli. GT showed some fight, reducing RCB to 132/5 at one point, but Virat (75* in 42 balls, with nine fours and three sixes) guided RCB to a win with two overs left.

This is RCB's second IPL title win and overall their fourth Indian franchise cricket trophy, including two Women's Premier League (WPL) titles. (ANI)

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