"We came so close but couldn't get over the line": Shubman Gill's emotional message after IPL final loss
New Delhi, June 2
Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill expressed his disappointment after his side fell short in the Indian Premier League 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.
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.
"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.
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
Reader Comments
🏏 RCB finally getting their due! Two IPL titles and two WPL titles - Bangalore cricket is on fire! 🔥 And what a captaincy from Gill though, he's only going to learn from this.
I feel for Shubman, yaar. He's matured so much as a leader. But let's be honest - GT's batting lineup let them down badly. 155 was never going to be enough against this RCB batting. 😔
🙏 Gill's message is so classy. This is what makes sports special - the lessons in resilience. But I do wish GT had given Shardul Thakur a chance earlier, their middle order looked shaky all season. Just saying.
🏆 RCB fans must be on cloud nine! Back-to-back champions, incredible. And Washington Sundar's fifty was brilliant, shame it went in a losing cause. Next season for GT! 💪
😢 It hurts, but this is sport. Shubman Gill is still young and has a long career ahead. India's future captain material right there. And kudos to RCB - they were the better team on the day. Well deserved!
R Rahul R Respect to Gill We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.