Rajat Patidar dedicates RCB's second straight IPL title to Bengaluru stampede victims

Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar dedicated the franchise’s second straight IPL title to the 11 fans who lost their lives in last year’s stampede during the team’s maiden championship victory celebrations.

RCB defended their crown in style defeated Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Virat Kohli led the chase with an unbeaten 75 as Bengaluru completed a successful chase of 156 to secure back-to-back titles.

After the win, Patidar remembered the supporters who died in the tragedy that took place in Bengaluru a day after RCB’s historic 2025 triumph.

“We are dedicating this trophy to our fans, not really the fans, the family members who died in the tragedy last year,” Patidar said at the post-match press conference.

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The tribute was in keeping with the franchise’s efforts throughout the season to honor the victims. Ahead of the opening match against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, RCB observed a minute’s silence in memory of the 11 supporters who lost their lives in the crowd stampede.

Players from both teams wore black armbands while the RCB team trained in jerseys bearing the number 11. The franchise also announced that 11 seats at the Chinnaswamy Stadium would remain vacant throughout the season as a mark of respect.

Tragedy struck on 4 June 2025, a day after RCB ended their 18-year wait for an IPL title by defeating Punjab Kings in the final. Thousands of fans gathered outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium for a celebration ceremony organized after the team’s return to Bengaluru.

As the crowd swelled far beyond expectations and entry points struggled to keep up, a stampede formed outside the venue. Eleven people died and several others were injured, casting a shadow over what was supposed to be the most glorious day in franchise history.

The incident led to intense scrutiny of crowd management and event planning, while cricket activities at the Chinnaswamy Stadium were affected for months.

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RCB supporters made their presence felt again in the final on Sunday. Although the match was played at Gujarat Titans home ground in Ahmedabad, a large section of the crowd supported Bengaluru.

Both Rajat Patidar and Virat Kohli paid tribute to the loyal fan base of the franchise after helping RCB secure their second consecutive IPL title.

“I always say we don’t have seven home games. We probably have 14. Everywhere we go we have fans rooting for us and getting behind the team. GT may have been home tonight but I felt like 90 per cent of the crowd were RCB supporters,” Kohli said.

“It’s something we’ve built over the years and we want them to continue to be proud and give their best. Their support is priceless. I’m really happy they were able to celebrate with us tonight and see us lift the trophy.”

Patidar echoed these sentiments and dedicated the triumph to the fans who have stood by the franchise through almost two decades of ups and downs.

“This is again for you RCB fans. Ee Sala nu Cup Namdu,” Patidar said.

A year after tragedy overshadowed their maiden IPL triumph, RCB ensured their supporters remained at the heart of the celebrations as they lifted the trophy for the second consecutive season.

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Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

01 Jun 2026 02:01 IST