For the Gujarat Titans, their IPL 2026 final encounter ended on a worrying note as the side experienced some major issues in getting back to their hotel after losing the final. It emerged that there was a short circuit within the bus that had been hired by the team which resulted in smoke filling the bus causing worry to the players. The situation came about as the team members headed back to their hotel from the Narendra Modi Stadium where the team lost the match to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Gujarat Titans were returning to their hotel following a heartbreaking loss by five wickets against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final game. It appeared that the team members encountered some issues along the way due to an electrical fault causing some smoke. This forced an evacuation from the bus before being transferred using another bus.
Gujarat End Campaign With Final Loss And Safety Scare
Smoke-filled bus forces emergency evacuation, but squad remains unharmed
The most important outcome of the incident was that every player and staff member escaped safely. As smoke spread inside the bus following the suspected short circuit, the driver stopped the vehicle and evacuation procedures were carried out immediately. Captain Shubman Gill and the rest of the squad exited the bus without injury.
The breakdown caused a temporary disruption, leaving the team waiting by the roadside until replacement transport arrived. While reports mentioned smoke and minor signs of fire linked to the electrical failure, there were no casualties or medical emergencies. The quick response from team officials and support staff ensured that the situation did not escalate. Eventually, another bus transported the group back to the hotel, bringing an end to the safety scare.
Team management rejects fatigue as reason behind final defeat
The team had traveled from Dharamsala to Mullanpur on May 27, prior to taking on Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 on May 29. The subsequent travel plan to Ahmedabad on May 30 was delayed due to unfavorable weather conditions, which led to Gujarat arriving late for their game at their home venue.
Solanki expressed the fact that GT were a bit short on-tuns, as he said, “Admittedly, it (155/8) was a below par total but they showed great fight to try and defend it. We might make an assessment of what we might have done differently, that’s a given. But I think you’ve got to accept that the opposition sometimes play well as well.”
Despite all this, however, the management of Gujarat Titans refused to cite fatigue as a reason for the loss. According to director of cricket Vikram Solanki, the team would not make excuses regarding their busy schedule. Moreover, he emphasized that the team was obliged to congratulate Royal Challengers Bengaluru for their effort. Gujarat was only able to score 155 for 8 in the final match, and according to Solanki, that was below average. Nevertheless, he stated that the bowlers played hard in defending this low score. Gujarat Titans lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by five wickets, finishing second overall in the tournament.
