When New Chandigarh lights up on Friday night to host the IPL 2026 Qualifier 2, two teams that have a lot in common but very different philosophies will compete for a spot in the final.
There are many similarities between Rajasthan Royals (RR), who defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Eliminator, and Gujarat Titans (GT), who recently lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Qualifier 1. Both have sharp new-ball partnerships, a weak middle order, and a heavy reliance on their top three. However, their strategy for the game could not have been more dissimilar.
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| In Qualifier 2, Shubman Gill got off to a fast start. This season, he has averaged 9.55 runs per over in the opening six overs |
Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan, GT's openers, employ a low-risk strategy to get runs, even in the era of the Impact Player. This season, their power-play scoring rate of 9.66 places them in the bottom half. They support their bowling unit to defend just-above-average totals.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a 15-year-old sensation, leads RR, attempting to send every ball beyond the boundary. Sooryavanshi has struck 65 sixes this season, while Gill and Sai Sudharsan have combined for 59. RR's run rate of 11.66 in the first six overs has been the highest in the competition, despite Yashasvi Jaiswal's poor form.
When a team bats first and scores a well-above-average total, GT is quite vulnerable. GT had little chance after RCB achieved that in Qualifier 1 with 254 for 5. RR is another team that can accomplish it; they defeated SRH in the Eliminator with 243 for 8. Even though GT's bowling assault is far more potent than SRH's, it will be difficult to stop Sooryavanshi and RR if he gets going.
We now move on to the toss. Except for a tie and a washout, the chasing teams' current record is 43-27. However, the side batting first has won both of the postseason games thus far. Over the course of the IPL's 19 seasons, the knockout results have actually been quite even-handed, favouring the side batting first 36–35.
RR may therefore think about batting first and eliminating GT from the game if the coin flips in their favour on Friday. Additionally, the game will take place on the same field as the eliminator. Therefore, chasing may be difficult on a worn-out surface with minimal dew.
News about the team
Given that it's a used pitch, GT might think of replacing Kulwant Khejroliya, who was dismissed for 31 in his two overs in Qualifier 1, with a spinner like Manav Suthar or R Sai Kishore.
Gujarat Titans (probable): 1 Shubman Gill (capt), 2 B Sai Sudharsan, 3 Jos Buttler (wk), 4 Nishant Sindhu, 5 Washington Sundar, 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Jason Holder, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Manav Suthar/R Sai Kishore, 11 Mohammed Siraj, 12 Prasidh Krishna
RR will probably continue to use the winning combo.
Rajasthan Royals (probable): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 3 Dhruv Jurel (wk), 4 Riyan Parag (capt), 5 Donovan Ferreira, 6 Dasun Shanaka, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Nandre Burger, 10 Sushant Mishra, 11 Brijesh Sharma, 12 Yash Raj Punja
Don't worry, I have covers on
Update from the ground: Hessian is being used to cover the square's pitches in order to prevent them from drying up in the sun.
Players to be wary of
There isn't much separating Jofra Archer and Kagiso Rabada, who have led their respective teams. Archer has taken 24 wickets in 15 games, while Rabada has taken 26. Rabada's economy rate is 9.48, whereas Archer's is 9.17. Rabada frequently bowls three overs on the power play, but RR also frequently saves Archer until the very end. One eye will be on the opening pairings on Friday, but another will be on these two quick bowlers and who has more influence on the outcome.
Sooryavanshi versus Rashid
In the first qualifier in Dharamsala, Rashid Khan had a bad day against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), but overall, he has remained a threat in a season where all other spinners have struggled. Among the top ten wicket-takers in the IPL 2026, Rashid is the only spinner with 19 wickets in 15 innings at an economy rate of 8.77, which has been more forgiving to the seamers who bowl Test-match lengths.
In the second qualifier, Rashid is expected to pose a particularly serious threat to the Rajasthan Royals (RR). On Friday, Pitch No. 4, which was utilised for the Eliminator on Wednesday, will be used again in New Chandigarh.
Don't worry, I have covers on
Update from the ground: Hessian is being used to cover the square's pitches in order to prevent them from drying up in the sun.
Players to be wary of
There isn't much separating Jofra Archer and Kagiso Rabada, who have led their respective teams. Archer has taken 24 wickets in 15 games, while Rabada has taken 26. Rabada's economy rate is 9.48, whereas Archer's is 9.17. Rabada frequently bowls three overs on the power play, but RR also frequently saves Archer until the very end. One eye will be on the opening pairings on Friday, but another will be on these two quick bowlers and who has more influence on the outcome.
Sooryavanshi versus Rashid
In the first qualifier in Dharamsala, Rashid Khan had a bad day against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), but overall, he has remained a threat in a season where all other spinners have struggled. Among the top ten wicket-takers in the IPL 2026, Rashid is the only spinner with 19 wickets in 15 innings at an economy rate of 8.77, which has been more forgiving to the seamers who bowl Test-match lengths.
In the second qualifier, Rashid is expected to pose a particularly serious threat to the Rajasthan Royals (RR). On Friday, Pitch No. 4, which was utilised for the Eliminator on Wednesday, will be used again in New Chandigarh.
Jurel says,
I should make an effort to form a cooperation with Sooryavanshi and Jaiswal whenever they are performing wonderfully. Avoid attempting to hit from both ends, as this could result in a wicket loss. I'm supposed to steer the ship ahead and keep it steady."
TGFS
I should make an effort to form a cooperation with Sooryavanshi and Jaiswal whenever they are performing wonderfully. Avoid attempting to hit from both ends, as this could result in a wicket loss. I'm supposed to steer the ship ahead and keep it steady."
TGFS
I'm grateful for Sooryavanshi:
In these times, we have to be grateful for sport. Sport continues to be an attempt to push the boundaries of human greatness, even though it also contributes to global warming. Yes, athletes employ science and technology to improve their preparation, but in the bright lights, it's human vs human as they test themselves against tactics, the elements, and the boundaries of what's allowed.
Make a pitch
Earlier in the season, objectives of 220 and 223 were easily chased in New Chandigarh, a high-scoring venue. However, a worn-out pitch may make all the difference. Around 1pm, there is a risk of rain, possibly even a hailstorm, but it shouldn't have an impact on the game. The ground was covered in the evening due to a strong breeze on Thursday.
The weather is still favourable
North and north-west India have experienced storms and rain due to western disturbances, but New Chandigarh appears to be bathed in sunlight at the moment. For a whole game, the signs are good.
"There was some forecast for rain during the day, but the weather has remained clear so far," Deiva Muthu informs us from the ground. On the eve of the game, the ground crew had to cover the pitch and bowlers' run-ups due to an unexpectedly strong breeze. The tarp covering one of the stands nearly fell off due to the intense breeze.
"Sooryavanshi and RR have more backing than Gill, the Punjabi youngster, and his GT. After spending a considerable amount of time at training on the eve of the match, Manav Suthar and Sai Kishore are wheeling off on one of the practice fields. On pitch number four, which was also used for the Eliminator, one of the two left-arm spinners might replace Khejroliya.
Report on a pitch
It should be a little slower and drier because it is the same pitch as the Eliminator from two days ago. According to Anil Kumble, slower balls in the second inning can even have some grip if there is no dew. Could that result in the team batting first winning the toss?
Sai Kishore replaces GT with the same RR bat
Qualifier 2 between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Gujarat Titans (GT) got off to a potentially contentious start when the match referee failed to hear the call and requested a repetition. The losing captain, Shubman Gill, was not happy since both teams wanted to bat first on a worn wicket that they anticipated would slow down.
Parag called heads both times, but Prakash Bhatt, the match referee, failed to hear it on the first try and did his best to keep the first toss's result hidden from the cameras. But it was clear that the first coin toss had produced tails when Gill stated that he too wanted to bat first and that "unfortunately" the match referee didn't hear the call.
After defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator on the same pitch, Parag didn't hesitate to bat first. Later in the evening, Parag claimed, his team had the bowling to take advantage of the slowing pitch. RR did not alter their winning combination.
Given the circumstances, GT made one change, substituting tall left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore for left-arm fast Kulwant Khejroliya, whose most recent game was his first T20 encounter in almost a year.
Rajasthan Royals 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 3 Dhruv Jurel (wk), 4 Riyan Parag (capt.), 5 Donovan Ferreira, 6 Dasun Shanaka, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Nandre Burger, 10 Brijesh Sharma, 11 Yash Raj Punja
RR bench Shubham Dubey, Sushant Mishra, Aman Perala, Ravi Bishnoi, Tushar Deshpande
Gujarat Titans: 1 Shubman Gill (capt.), 2 B Sai Sudharsan, 3 Jos Buttler (wk), 4 Jason Holder, 5 Washington Sundar, 6 Nishant Sindhu, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 R Sai Kishore, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Mohammed Siraj
GT bench Rahul Tewatia, Glenn Phillips, Anuj Rawat, Kumar Kushagra, Arshad Khan
Time for Sooryavanshi
Once more, excitement. Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada are opposed by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Every time he performs, the entire globe tunes in. Let's get locked in.
Siraj receives Jaiswal ahead of schedule
We have early indications of poor bounce, and Mohammed Siraj has bowled four balls that are not long enough. Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for one off two after finding deep square leg, while Vaibhav Sooryavanshi mis-hit twice for one run. After a restful night in Dharamsala, Siraj has returned. In 0.4 overs, RR 2 for 1.
Rabada replies to Jurel
In these times, we have to be grateful for sport. Sport continues to be an attempt to push the boundaries of human greatness, even though it also contributes to global warming. Yes, athletes employ science and technology to improve their preparation, but in the bright lights, it's human vs human as they test themselves against tactics, the elements, and the boundaries of what's allowed.
Make a pitch
Earlier in the season, objectives of 220 and 223 were easily chased in New Chandigarh, a high-scoring venue. However, a worn-out pitch may make all the difference. Around 1pm, there is a risk of rain, possibly even a hailstorm, but it shouldn't have an impact on the game. The ground was covered in the evening due to a strong breeze on Thursday.
The weather is still favourable
North and north-west India have experienced storms and rain due to western disturbances, but New Chandigarh appears to be bathed in sunlight at the moment. For a whole game, the signs are good.
"There was some forecast for rain during the day, but the weather has remained clear so far," Deiva Muthu informs us from the ground. On the eve of the game, the ground crew had to cover the pitch and bowlers' run-ups due to an unexpectedly strong breeze. The tarp covering one of the stands nearly fell off due to the intense breeze.
"Sooryavanshi and RR have more backing than Gill, the Punjabi youngster, and his GT. After spending a considerable amount of time at training on the eve of the match, Manav Suthar and Sai Kishore are wheeling off on one of the practice fields. On pitch number four, which was also used for the Eliminator, one of the two left-arm spinners might replace Khejroliya.
Report on a pitch
It should be a little slower and drier because it is the same pitch as the Eliminator from two days ago. According to Anil Kumble, slower balls in the second inning can even have some grip if there is no dew. Could that result in the team batting first winning the toss?
Sai Kishore replaces GT with the same RR bat
Qualifier 2 between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Gujarat Titans (GT) got off to a potentially contentious start when the match referee failed to hear the call and requested a repetition. The losing captain, Shubman Gill, was not happy since both teams wanted to bat first on a worn wicket that they anticipated would slow down.
Parag called heads both times, but Prakash Bhatt, the match referee, failed to hear it on the first try and did his best to keep the first toss's result hidden from the cameras. But it was clear that the first coin toss had produced tails when Gill stated that he too wanted to bat first and that "unfortunately" the match referee didn't hear the call.
After defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator on the same pitch, Parag didn't hesitate to bat first. Later in the evening, Parag claimed, his team had the bowling to take advantage of the slowing pitch. RR did not alter their winning combination.
Given the circumstances, GT made one change, substituting tall left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore for left-arm fast Kulwant Khejroliya, whose most recent game was his first T20 encounter in almost a year.
Rajasthan Royals 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 3 Dhruv Jurel (wk), 4 Riyan Parag (capt.), 5 Donovan Ferreira, 6 Dasun Shanaka, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Nandre Burger, 10 Brijesh Sharma, 11 Yash Raj Punja
RR bench Shubham Dubey, Sushant Mishra, Aman Perala, Ravi Bishnoi, Tushar Deshpande
Gujarat Titans: 1 Shubman Gill (capt.), 2 B Sai Sudharsan, 3 Jos Buttler (wk), 4 Jason Holder, 5 Washington Sundar, 6 Nishant Sindhu, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 R Sai Kishore, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Prasidh Krishna, 11 Mohammed Siraj
GT bench Rahul Tewatia, Glenn Phillips, Anuj Rawat, Kumar Kushagra, Arshad Khan
Time for Sooryavanshi
Once more, excitement. Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada are opposed by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Every time he performs, the entire globe tunes in. Let's get locked in.
Siraj receives Jaiswal ahead of schedule
We have early indications of poor bounce, and Mohammed Siraj has bowled four balls that are not long enough. Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for one off two after finding deep square leg, while Vaibhav Sooryavanshi mis-hit twice for one run. After a restful night in Dharamsala, Siraj has returned. In 0.4 overs, RR 2 for 1.
Rabada replies to Jurel
Kagiso Rabada has also returned. In order to continue bowling good length or hard length throughout the over, he instantly corrects the length after first offering Dhruv Jurel length and width to cut. Jurel must finally attempt a length ball, but it is bowled at 146ks and seamed away slightly to generate a mishit to mid-off. The pinch anchor has been assigned to Ravindra Jadeja. In two overs, RR 13 for 2.
Sooryavanshi starts moving
0 4 2 2 5w 4 4
A two-paced pitch has put Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to the test. In three overs, he has yet to hit a six. However, towards the conclusion of the third over, GT became a little too funky and bowled without any fine leg, short, or otherwise. Sooryavanshi flicks a fuller ball there after sweeping a hard-length 142ks ball through. In three overs, it is 34 for 2.
Rabada versus Sooryavanshi
An era that will go down in history. On a two-paced pitch, Kagiso Rabada frequently bowls 150 runs or more, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has hit five consecutive balls. He has an off-drive 152ks hard length over mid-off on the first one. Rabada beats him three times in a row after doubling down on hard lengths. Sooryavanshi lofts him for his first straight six in fourteen balls as he straightens the line for the final ball. At 154ks, this is released. RR 45 for 2 in four overs, and he is 27 off 14.
In agony, Siraj bowls
Mohammed Siraj has caused trouble for himself with the second ball of the fifth over. Despite two trips to the physiotherapist, he continues to bowl bouncers despite appearing to have severe shoulder pain. Sooryavanshi demonstrates another facet of his game with the final ball of the over: he backs away, creates space, then upper-cuts from well outside leg to go over backwards point. Siraj leaves for medical care. RR 54 for 2 in five overs; Sooryavanshi 31 off 17.
Jadeja's SR is greater than Sooryavanshi's
I have to apologise. To provide Ruyan Parag and the others the perfect pint of entry, I believed Ravindra Jadeja had been upgraded to simply anchor for a short while. Here, nevertheless, he is paying more than Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Prasidh Krishna's short, outside-leg bowling with a beautiful leg up does help. RR 70 for 2 after six overs; Jadeja 26 off 11.
Jadeja retires in pain
After playing a small gem, Ravindra Jadeja is leaving with his elbow hurting again. He has maximised the powerplay and seen off the new ball movement, and he is walking off on 34 off 19. What a hand. When Riyan Parag enters, the score is 82 for 2 in eight overs.
Rashid Khan's typical start
4 6 1 6 1 0
Both Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Riyan Parag have tucked in after three long leaps in the first five. Sooryavanshi only managed two sixes in 23 balls, but these circumstances are not conducive to 100 for 2 in nine overs. By the way, Siraj is back on the pitch.
Holder receives Parag
Another indication that the pitch is difficult to control when bowling. Jason Holder gives Riyan Parag a length ball on the pads, but he toe-ends it into the larger side on the leg side. As you can see, this shot typically goes for a six. This person is trapped on the barrier. 11 out of 6 is gone. In 9.3 overs, it is 101 for 3.
Holder has two
To pull the Gujarat Titans back into the race, Jason Holder is crafting another spell. With an uninterrupted four-over spell of two wickets, he saved RCB in the first qualifier. With a short ball and globe, he has now sent Dasun Shanaka through to the keeper. Jofra Archer has now been promoted by RR. They want Donovon Ferreira to have a specific point of entry.
Krishna obtains an archer
After hitting a six off Prasidh Krishna, Jofra Archer is out on the following ball when Krishna removes his outside edge with a decent length outside off. Since Ravindra Jadeja's retirement, RR has lost 3 for 36 in 22 legal balls. In 12.4 overs, it is 118 for 5. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is undefeated at 49 after playing just 30 balls out of 76.
Ferreira is still being held back by them. Jadeja is back at bat after receiving some therapy.
The slowest fifty of Sooryavanshi
31 balls are needed for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to reach his fifty. Naturally, this is his slowest innings, but it's still noteworthy. In 13 overs, RR 120 for 5.
The most boundaries in a single competition
130 Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has hit more boundaries in the IPL than Jos Buttler did in 2022, setting a new record of 128.
Fastest to 1000
440. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi broke Andre Russell's old record of 545 balls to reach 1000 runs.
For 96, Sooryavanshi falls
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi concludes yet another masterpiece. He avoided the ramp/uppercut the last time on '97 due to a deep third. He attempts that shot this time, but Kagiso Rabada's bouncer becomes too big for him, and he is only able to edge it to deep third once more. Still, this is a blinder: 96 off of 47. He scores 46 from the final 16 balls. Even though we have seen a lot of Sooryavanshi, some of the hitting was incredible. RR 176 for 6 in 18 overs.
Two stands of fifty runs
1 Out of all the Twenty20 matches for which we have statistics, this is the only time that two half-century stands between the same pair have been interrupted by an injury retirement.
Ferreira dissects Rashid Khan
1 6 6 6 2 6
Donovon Ferreira was being held back for this reason. maximum effect in a short period of time. In the final over, he is simply standing back and hitting Rashid Khan hard and down the ground. RR 214 for 6. Rashid Rashid 2-0-45-0
Archer's typical start
4 1 1w 4 4 1 4
Jofra Archer has been off target in the opening over, giving Sai Sudharsan width and slipping down Shubman Gill's pads despite the increased pace. Without taking a chance, that is 19 off the first over.
On 14, Sudharsan dropped
Nandre Burger draws some additional bounce with the opening ball of the fourth over, despite the pitch appearing to have calmed down. B Sai Sudharsan draws a skier, but Donovon Ferreira signals for it to sprint back from inside the circle. Running in from the border, Dasun Shanaka had a far greater chance of avoiding this. Ferreira hardly touches the ball, which appears to have swung away from him. In 3.1 overs, GT was 42 for 0.
Gill and Sudharsan continue
With 69 runs in the powerplay, Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan have risen to No. 2 as the IPL's most productive duo, surpassing Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle and trailing only Kohli and AB de Villiers. Together, Kohli and de Villiers have scored 3123 runs; these two have added 2846.
Ease after power play
Without taking any chances, Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan added 22 runs in the first two overs following the power play. Brijesh Sharma was defeated by Gill, and Sudharsan removed Yash Raj Punja for two fours. In eight overs, it is 91 for 0.
For Gill, fifty
In the ninth over, a battered Shubman Gill hits a spectacular six and a four off Tushar Deshpande to reach his fifty in thirty balls. After that, he adds another four with a cut and a misfield. GT is 108 for 0 in nine overs, while Gill is 54 off 31.
The majority of the century stands
11 The century is between Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill, surpassing the 10 between Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan.
Sudharsan reaches the age of fifty
B Sai Sudharsan ventures deep into the crease to loft Yash Raj Punja over wide long off the back foot for a six to get his fifty off twenty-six balls, while Punja stays short. He is giving himself a fair chance to reclaim the orange cap from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, as he has surpassed 700.
Sudharsan has been hit by a wicket once more
He did it on the square drive this time, as opposed to cutting it the other time. On these square shots, B Sai Sudharsan is swinging the bat so forcefully that it has escaped his grasp and landed on the wicket on the full this time. I have witnessed the most bizarre pair of dismissals in consecutive games. GT 167 for 1 in 12.5 overs, and he is out for 58 off 32 balls.
Gill with a hundred
He lives here, in the Chandigarh suburbs. He is leading this team to their Ahmedabad home field. Additionally, he raises the century by charging Ravindra Jadeja, something that few people do. Additionally, he has completed at least three borders today. He is the fastest GT player to reach a hundred in 47 balls. He lifts his arms, takes off his helmet, and bows. His fifth IPL century is this one.
Gill makes 104 off 52
Although Shubman Gill misses a straight full ball on the slog because of a celebration from Jofra Archer, this has been a terrific innings. He is out for 104 off 52, which is the third-highest total in an IPL playoff chase. Now, they only need 33 off 30.
Eight balls remain in the over
This is GT's most successful chase to date and the second most successful chase in any T20 event knockout or playoff match. In the 19th over, Rahul Tewatia finished it with a straight six. In the final, Qualifier 1 will now be repeated. The top two clubs from the league stages have advanced to the final once more.
Next up is the final
As we bid you farewell, we give you a sneak peek at our final report. I'll see you on Sunday at the same location and time for the last time this season.
Despite a near solitary from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the Rajasthan Royals were unable to advance to the final despite having the best batting season of any player in a T20 event with 96 against the strongest bowling attack of the competition on a less-than-straightforward field. The Gujarat Titans set up a rematch of Qualifier 1 versus the Royal Challengers of Bengaluru as the final, this time at their home field in Ahmedabad, by executing the second-highest successful chase in any knockout or playoff match in all T20 cricket.
Despite being slower, Sooryavanshi's IPL 2026 innings of 776 runs with a strike rate of 237.3 was just as brilliant as his 97 in the Eliminator. He had to face a bowling attack that could take advantage of the circumstances, a weak middle order that became chaotic due to an injury to the new No. 4 Ravindra Jadeja, and an initially two-paced pitch. Sooryavanshi reached 96 off 47 from his slowest fifty—still just 31 balls—but was caught at deep third with a century in sight for the second consecutive time.
Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan nearly strolled through the chase from the moment Jofra Archer got off to an indifferent start in the first over, but it took some incredible shots from Sooryavanshi, which once again left jaws on the floor. For this season, they both followed Sooryavanshi into the 700s, but they did so in a different way by taking fewer chances. But that was all that separated the two sides: Gill and Sudharsan were two, and Sooryavanshi was one.
0 4 2 2 5w 4 4
A two-paced pitch has put Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to the test. In three overs, he has yet to hit a six. However, towards the conclusion of the third over, GT became a little too funky and bowled without any fine leg, short, or otherwise. Sooryavanshi flicks a fuller ball there after sweeping a hard-length 142ks ball through. In three overs, it is 34 for 2.
Rabada versus Sooryavanshi
An era that will go down in history. On a two-paced pitch, Kagiso Rabada frequently bowls 150 runs or more, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has hit five consecutive balls. He has an off-drive 152ks hard length over mid-off on the first one. Rabada beats him three times in a row after doubling down on hard lengths. Sooryavanshi lofts him for his first straight six in fourteen balls as he straightens the line for the final ball. At 154ks, this is released. RR 45 for 2 in four overs, and he is 27 off 14.
In agony, Siraj bowls
Mohammed Siraj has caused trouble for himself with the second ball of the fifth over. Despite two trips to the physiotherapist, he continues to bowl bouncers despite appearing to have severe shoulder pain. Sooryavanshi demonstrates another facet of his game with the final ball of the over: he backs away, creates space, then upper-cuts from well outside leg to go over backwards point. Siraj leaves for medical care. RR 54 for 2 in five overs; Sooryavanshi 31 off 17.
Jadeja's SR is greater than Sooryavanshi's
I have to apologise. To provide Ruyan Parag and the others the perfect pint of entry, I believed Ravindra Jadeja had been upgraded to simply anchor for a short while. Here, nevertheless, he is paying more than Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Prasidh Krishna's short, outside-leg bowling with a beautiful leg up does help. RR 70 for 2 after six overs; Jadeja 26 off 11.
Jadeja retires in pain
After playing a small gem, Ravindra Jadeja is leaving with his elbow hurting again. He has maximised the powerplay and seen off the new ball movement, and he is walking off on 34 off 19. What a hand. When Riyan Parag enters, the score is 82 for 2 in eight overs.
Rashid Khan's typical start
4 6 1 6 1 0
Both Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Riyan Parag have tucked in after three long leaps in the first five. Sooryavanshi only managed two sixes in 23 balls, but these circumstances are not conducive to 100 for 2 in nine overs. By the way, Siraj is back on the pitch.
Holder receives Parag
Another indication that the pitch is difficult to control when bowling. Jason Holder gives Riyan Parag a length ball on the pads, but he toe-ends it into the larger side on the leg side. As you can see, this shot typically goes for a six. This person is trapped on the barrier. 11 out of 6 is gone. In 9.3 overs, it is 101 for 3.
Holder has two
To pull the Gujarat Titans back into the race, Jason Holder is crafting another spell. With an uninterrupted four-over spell of two wickets, he saved RCB in the first qualifier. With a short ball and globe, he has now sent Dasun Shanaka through to the keeper. Jofra Archer has now been promoted by RR. They want Donovon Ferreira to have a specific point of entry.
Krishna obtains an archer
After hitting a six off Prasidh Krishna, Jofra Archer is out on the following ball when Krishna removes his outside edge with a decent length outside off. Since Ravindra Jadeja's retirement, RR has lost 3 for 36 in 22 legal balls. In 12.4 overs, it is 118 for 5. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is undefeated at 49 after playing just 30 balls out of 76.
Ferreira is still being held back by them. Jadeja is back at bat after receiving some therapy.
The slowest fifty of Sooryavanshi
31 balls are needed for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to reach his fifty. Naturally, this is his slowest innings, but it's still noteworthy. In 13 overs, RR 120 for 5.
The most boundaries in a single competition
130 Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has hit more boundaries in the IPL than Jos Buttler did in 2022, setting a new record of 128.
Fastest to 1000
440. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi broke Andre Russell's old record of 545 balls to reach 1000 runs.
For 96, Sooryavanshi falls
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi concludes yet another masterpiece. He avoided the ramp/uppercut the last time on '97 due to a deep third. He attempts that shot this time, but Kagiso Rabada's bouncer becomes too big for him, and he is only able to edge it to deep third once more. Still, this is a blinder: 96 off of 47. He scores 46 from the final 16 balls. Even though we have seen a lot of Sooryavanshi, some of the hitting was incredible. RR 176 for 6 in 18 overs.
Two stands of fifty runs
1 Out of all the Twenty20 matches for which we have statistics, this is the only time that two half-century stands between the same pair have been interrupted by an injury retirement.
Ferreira dissects Rashid Khan
1 6 6 6 2 6
Donovon Ferreira was being held back for this reason. maximum effect in a short period of time. In the final over, he is simply standing back and hitting Rashid Khan hard and down the ground. RR 214 for 6. Rashid Rashid 2-0-45-0
Archer's typical start
4 1 1w 4 4 1 4
Jofra Archer has been off target in the opening over, giving Sai Sudharsan width and slipping down Shubman Gill's pads despite the increased pace. Without taking a chance, that is 19 off the first over.
On 14, Sudharsan dropped
Nandre Burger draws some additional bounce with the opening ball of the fourth over, despite the pitch appearing to have calmed down. B Sai Sudharsan draws a skier, but Donovon Ferreira signals for it to sprint back from inside the circle. Running in from the border, Dasun Shanaka had a far greater chance of avoiding this. Ferreira hardly touches the ball, which appears to have swung away from him. In 3.1 overs, GT was 42 for 0.
Gill and Sudharsan continue
With 69 runs in the powerplay, Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan have risen to No. 2 as the IPL's most productive duo, surpassing Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle and trailing only Kohli and AB de Villiers. Together, Kohli and de Villiers have scored 3123 runs; these two have added 2846.
Ease after power play
Without taking any chances, Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan added 22 runs in the first two overs following the power play. Brijesh Sharma was defeated by Gill, and Sudharsan removed Yash Raj Punja for two fours. In eight overs, it is 91 for 0.
For Gill, fifty
In the ninth over, a battered Shubman Gill hits a spectacular six and a four off Tushar Deshpande to reach his fifty in thirty balls. After that, he adds another four with a cut and a misfield. GT is 108 for 0 in nine overs, while Gill is 54 off 31.
The majority of the century stands
11 The century is between Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill, surpassing the 10 between Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan.
Sudharsan reaches the age of fifty
B Sai Sudharsan ventures deep into the crease to loft Yash Raj Punja over wide long off the back foot for a six to get his fifty off twenty-six balls, while Punja stays short. He is giving himself a fair chance to reclaim the orange cap from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, as he has surpassed 700.
Sudharsan has been hit by a wicket once more
He did it on the square drive this time, as opposed to cutting it the other time. On these square shots, B Sai Sudharsan is swinging the bat so forcefully that it has escaped his grasp and landed on the wicket on the full this time. I have witnessed the most bizarre pair of dismissals in consecutive games. GT 167 for 1 in 12.5 overs, and he is out for 58 off 32 balls.
Gill with a hundred
He lives here, in the Chandigarh suburbs. He is leading this team to their Ahmedabad home field. Additionally, he raises the century by charging Ravindra Jadeja, something that few people do. Additionally, he has completed at least three borders today. He is the fastest GT player to reach a hundred in 47 balls. He lifts his arms, takes off his helmet, and bows. His fifth IPL century is this one.
Gill makes 104 off 52
Although Shubman Gill misses a straight full ball on the slog because of a celebration from Jofra Archer, this has been a terrific innings. He is out for 104 off 52, which is the third-highest total in an IPL playoff chase. Now, they only need 33 off 30.
Eight balls remain in the over
This is GT's most successful chase to date and the second most successful chase in any T20 event knockout or playoff match. In the 19th over, Rahul Tewatia finished it with a straight six. In the final, Qualifier 1 will now be repeated. The top two clubs from the league stages have advanced to the final once more.
Next up is the final
As we bid you farewell, we give you a sneak peek at our final report. I'll see you on Sunday at the same location and time for the last time this season.
Despite a near solitary from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the Rajasthan Royals were unable to advance to the final despite having the best batting season of any player in a T20 event with 96 against the strongest bowling attack of the competition on a less-than-straightforward field. The Gujarat Titans set up a rematch of Qualifier 1 versus the Royal Challengers of Bengaluru as the final, this time at their home field in Ahmedabad, by executing the second-highest successful chase in any knockout or playoff match in all T20 cricket.
Despite being slower, Sooryavanshi's IPL 2026 innings of 776 runs with a strike rate of 237.3 was just as brilliant as his 97 in the Eliminator. He had to face a bowling attack that could take advantage of the circumstances, a weak middle order that became chaotic due to an injury to the new No. 4 Ravindra Jadeja, and an initially two-paced pitch. Sooryavanshi reached 96 off 47 from his slowest fifty—still just 31 balls—but was caught at deep third with a century in sight for the second consecutive time.
Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan nearly strolled through the chase from the moment Jofra Archer got off to an indifferent start in the first over, but it took some incredible shots from Sooryavanshi, which once again left jaws on the floor. For this season, they both followed Sooryavanshi into the 700s, but they did so in a different way by taking fewer chances. But that was all that separated the two sides: Gill and Sudharsan were two, and Sooryavanshi was one.
