GT players evacuated due to short circuit causes team bus to malfunction after IPL final

Gujarat Titans endured a horrific end to their IPL 2026 campaign after players and support staff were forced to evacuate their team bus following a short circuit in Ahmedabad on Sunday night.

According to PTI, the incident occurred when the team was traveling back to their hotel after suffering a five-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL final at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Smoke reportedly spread inside the bus after a short circuit caused the vehicle to malfunction, necessitating an immediate evacuation.

IPL 2026 Final, RCB vs GT: Highlights | Scorecard

Fortunately, all players and support staff escaped unhurt. The unit was left waiting on the side of the road for a while before a replacement bus was arranged to take them safely to the hotel.

The incident capped off a disappointing and draining night for the Titans, who fell short in their quest for a second IPL title. Gujarat managed just 155 for 8 in the final before RCB chased down the target with five wickets to spare and successfully defended their crown.

TRAVEL IS ADDED TO A TOUGH FINAL WEEK

The travel disruption was the latest challenge in a busy few days for the franchise. Gujarat traveled from Dharamsala to Mullanpur on 27 May before Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals on 29 May.

Their scheduled flight to Ahmedabad on 30 May was significantly delayed due to bad weather conditions in Mullanpur, forcing the team to reach Ahmedabad late on Saturday evening.

The hectic itinerary has fueled speculation that fatigue may have played a role Gujarat’s subdued performance in the title clash.

GT MAKES NO EXCUSES

However, Director of Cricket Vikram Solanki refused to use the team’s busy schedule as an excuse for the defeat.

“I don’t want to take the fact that RCB have won as just saying that we have played so many matches in these short days and we are tired and we are not really up to it,” Solanki said during the post-match press conference.

The former England batsman admitted Gujarat’s total was below par but credited the opposition for seizing their opportunity.

“I admit it was a sub, but they put in a big fight to try and defend it. We could assess what we could have done differently, that’s a given. But I think you have to accept that sometimes opponents play well too,” he added.

While Gujarat’s season ended in disappointment, the short-circuit scare ensured their return from the IPL final became an unexpected talking point on an already difficult night.

– The end

Issued by:

Amar Panicker

Published on:

1 Jun 2026 07:14 IST