Royal Challengers Bengaluru may have stormed into the IPL 2026 final with a dominant victory over Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1, but former RCB star AB de Villiers believes today’s IPL final is far from a one-sided affair.

De Villiers admitted he remains concerned about Gujarat Titans' bowling strength despite RCB's emphatic 92-run win over the same opponents earlier in the playoffs.

"So I'm nervous," AB de Villiers said. "It's GTs got a lot to be confident about playing in Ahmedabad. The way they've played that win the other night, even though the Suryavanshi factor was there, they still came out on top and once again shows you that good bowling attacks tend to come out on top at the end of the day. So I'm worried about that bowling attack in the final, but I think it's going to be edge of the seat stuff and a fantastic final and hopefully a close one.

And for all the fans around the world to enjoy," De Villiers said during the ESPNcricinfo awards.

The IPL 2026 final will see two of the tournament's strongest teams battle for the trophy. While Royal Challengers Bengaluru are aiming to successfully defend their title and become only the third franchise in IPL history to achieve the feat, Gujarat Titans are chasing their second championship after lifting the trophy in 2022.

RCB have enjoyed an impressive campaign under captain Rajat Patidar. The defending champions finished at the top of the league standings with nine wins from 14 matches and carried that momentum into the playoffs.

Virat Kohli has once again led the batting charts for RCB, scoring 600 runs in 15 matches. Patidar has also played a key role with 486 runs while guiding the team throughout the season.

With the ball, experienced pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been one of RCB's standout performers, claiming 26 wickets.

On the other hand, despite their heavy defeat in Qualifier 1, Gujarat Titans have shown resilience throughout the tournament. Shubman Gill's side responded strongly by defeating Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 to book a place in the summit clash.

The Titans will also draw confidence from playing at their home venue in Ahmedabad, where conditions could favour their highly-rated bowling attack. That strength, according to De Villiers, could prove decisive in a high-pressure final.