Josh Hazlewood's fiery celebration after Buttler's wicket goes viral — RCB vs GT Qualifier 1 IPL 2026

Royal Challengers Bengaluru have put themselves in a dominant position in the Indian Premier League 2026 Qualifier 1 clash against the Gujarat Titans after posting a massive target of 255 runs at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala on Tuesday. It is now the highest target ever set in an IPL playoff match, leaving the Gujarat Titans with a historic challenge if they want to secure direct qualification to the IPL 2026 final.

The pressure of the huge chase quickly reflected in GT’s batting innings, with the side collapsing to 83/7. One of the biggest moments of the match came when Josh Hazlewood produced a fiery celebration after dismissing Buttler. The star GT batter had attacked the Australian pacer earlier in the over, smashing 14 runs from the first three deliveries, but Hazlewood responded brilliantly by knocking over the England batter with a crucial wicket.

Known for his calm and composed personality on the field, Hazlewood surprised fans with an aggressive roar after the dismissal as RCB tightened their grip on the match. The intense celebration quickly went viral on social media, with fans praising the fast bowler’s passion and fighting spirit in the high-pressure playoff clash. Watch the special video here.

The wicket that started it all — How Hazlewood dismissed Jos Buttler in RCB vs GT Qualifier 1

The crucial moment took place in the fifth over of the Gujarat Titans’ innings during the IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 clash against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. After Jos Buttler attacked Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the previous over, RCB captain Rajat Patidar decided to bring back his strike pacer Josh Hazlewood to regain control of the match.

Buttler continued his aggressive approach against Hazlewood as well. On the second ball of the over, the England batter backed away and smashed a boundary straight past mid-on. Hazlewood then delivered another good-length ball outside off stump, but Buttler once again created room and launched it high over long-on for a massive six. The pressure remained on the Australian pacer when Buttler followed it up with another powerful boundary through extra cover on the very next delivery.

See also -Watch: What Heinrich Klaasen did to Josh Hazlewood in just one over during SRH vs RCB IPL 2026 will leave you speechless

However, Hazlewood responded perfectly immediately after the assault. The RCB pacer bowled a clever slower leg-cutter that skidded after pitching, while Buttler once again attempted to back away and cut the ball. This time, the England batter completely missed the delivery as the ball crashed into the stumps. Hazlewood erupted in celebration after removing one of GT’s biggest match-winners, while RCB sensed a major shift in momentum. Buttler walked back after scoring a quickfire 29 runs off just 11 balls, including four boundaries and two sixes.

Pure passion — Why Hazlewood's fiery celebration has gone viral on cricket Twitter

Hazlewood found himself under pressure early in the over as Buttler launched a stunning counterattack, striking him for 14 runs off the first three deliveries and looking every bit capable of taking the game away from RCB. But the Australian quick refused to buckle. He quickly regrouped, adjusted his line, and made Buttler pay just a few balls later with a beautifully disguised slower leg-cutter that skidded off the pitch. Buttler had backed away to cut but missed it completely, and the ball crashed into the stumps to bring the Dharamsala crowd to its feet.

See also -Watch: Virat Kohli can't hide his reaction as Rajat Patidar smashes six over covers in RCB vs GT IPL 2026 Qualifier 1

What followed was a rare and electric sight — Hazlewood, usually ice-cool and expressionless on the field, absolutely erupted. The celebration was raw, intense, and completely unscripted, and cricket Twitter could not get enough of it. Fans flooded social media with clips of the moment, with many pointing out that it perfectly captured the weight of a high-stakes playoff game. For a bowler known more for his calm than his fire, this was a glimpse of the burning competitor underneath — and the internet loved every second of it.

What Buttler's wicket meant for GT — How the dismissal changed the Qualifier 1 match

Chasing a massive 255, GT were already in early trouble when Josh Hazlewood bowled Jos Buttler in what turned out to be the defining moment of Qualifier 1. Buttler had been GT's only real hope of keeping the chase alive, blazing 29 off just 11 deliveries with four fours and two sixes in a fearless counterattack. His dismissal did not just end a dangerous innings — it completely knocked the stuffing out of GT's batting order. What followed was a total collapse, with Nishant Sindhu contributing just 5 off 3 balls and Jason Holder departing for a duck, as RCB's bowlers tightened their grip over the game.

By the end of the Powerplay, GT had lost five wickets for just 51 runs — a collapse that has never been seen before in IPL playoff history. The sheer scale of the batting breakdown left GT with an almost impossible task, needing well over 200 runs with only five wickets in hand and the asking rate already through the roof. Buttler's wicket was the turning point that swung the match completely in RCB's favour, and from that moment on, the result was rarely in doubt.

See also -Watch: Sai Sudharsan gets hit-wicket out as his bat slips and crashes into the stumps — RCB vs GT Qualifier 1 IPL 2026

However, RCB's dominant display in Qualifier 1 was a statement of intent from a side that means serious business in their title defence. From Rajat Patidar's breathtaking 93 off 33 balls to Hazlewood's game-changing spell with the ball, every department clicked at the right time and at the biggest stage. GT never truly recovered from that devastating powerplay collapse, and RCB made sure they never had the chance to. With a place in the IPL 2026 final now secured, RCB will head into the summit clash brimming with confidence, knowing that on their day, they are simply unstoppable.