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As Royal Challengers Bangalore prepare to take on Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2026 final, they will take confidence from a player who has made a habit of delivering on the biggest stage, Josh Hazlewood.The defending champions are aiming to once again win the IPL title, a feat achieved only by Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. Standing in their way is a strong Gujarat Titans team led by Shubman Gul, but RCB will be comforted by the presence of Hazlewood, whose record in T20 finals is nothing short of remarkable.
The man who never lost a final.
Hazlewood enters the final of IPL 2026 with a perfect record in the T20 title decider. The Australian fast bowler has played in five major T20 tournament finals in international and franchise cricket and won all five. Even more impressive is that he has never gone wicketless in a T20 final.In those five title matches, Hazlewood took 10 wickets at an average of 13.9 and an economy rate of 7.1, proving his mettle under constant pressure. Hazlewood’s first major T20 final success came while representing Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2021 final. Facing Kolkata Knight Riders, the Australian promptly returned figures of 2/29 in four overs, removing Sunil Narine and Nitish Rana at crucial moments. His disciplined spell helped CSK stave off KKR’s chase and seal a 27-run victory. It was the first IPL trophy of Hazlewood’s career and the start of a great run of finals.Perhaps the best performance of Hazlewood’s career came during the 2021 T20 World Cup final against New Zealand. On the batting-friendly Dubai surface, Hazlewood produced a masterclass in fast bowling, finishing with figures of 3/16 from four overs. He dismissed Glenn Phillips and, most importantly, Kane Williamson, who looked set to take the game away from Australia after scoring 85 runs. Australia finally chased down their goal of winning their first T20 World Cup title, with Hazlewood playing a central role in the victory.
Delivering RCB’s historic title
Four years later, Hazlewood once again demonstrated his ability to perform when the stakes were highest. In the IPL 2025 final against Punjab Kings, the Australian speedster took two wickets and was tasked with defending 29 runs in the last over of the match. Despite facing the dangerous Shashank Singh at the crease, Hazlewood held his nerve and closed out the game, helping RCB clinch their first IPL title after an 18-year wait.Hazlewood’s success in finals goes beyond IPL and international cricket. The fast bowler was also part of the title-winning campaign with the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League. A mixed IPL 2026 campaignDespite his stellar finals record, Hazlewood’s IPL 2026 season has not been entirely straightforward. The right-arm fast bowler took 13 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 35.15 and an economy rate of 9.62. While those numbers are below his usual standards, they don’t fully reflect his impact.
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