Gujarat Titans stormed into the final of IPL 2026 with a commanding seven-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 at the PCA Stadium in Mullanpur on Friday. Riding on a captain’s knock from Shubman Gill and another impactful innings from Sai Sudharsan, GT chased down a daunting target of 215 with eight balls to spare and booked a title clash against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Sunday.
After winning the toss, Rajasthan Royals elected to bat first but suffered early setbacks. Mohammed Siraj struck in the opening over to dismiss Yashasvi Jaiswal for just one run, while Kagiso Rabada removed Dhruv Jurel for 7 in the second over to leave RR under pressure.
Ravindra Jadeja and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi then rebuilt the innings with an aggressive partnership. Jadeja looked in fine touch, smashing 34 runs off just 19 deliveries before retiring hurt due to discomfort. Riyan Parag replaced him but could only manage 11 runs before Jason Holder dismissed the RR skipper. Holder struck again soon after to remove Dasun Shanaka for 3, while Prasidh Krishna accounted for the promoted Jofra Archer.
Jadeja later returned to the crease and combined brilliantly with Sooryavanshi. The teenage sensation made the most of a reprieve on 46 when Sai Sudharsan dropped a straightforward chance and went on to register another outstanding half-century. The pair added valuable runs before Rabada finally ended Sooryavanshi’s superb innings on 96 off 47 balls, leaving him agonisingly short of a century.
A late blitz from Donovan Ferreira, who smashed 38 off just 11 deliveries, coupled with Jadeja’s unbeaten 45 off 35 balls, helped Rajasthan Royals post a formidable 214/6 in their 20 overs.
In reply, Gujarat Titans got off to a dream start through Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill. The opening pair dominated the Royals’ bowling attack from the outset, finding boundaries with ease and bringing up their respective half-centuries at a rapid pace.
The duo added a massive 167-run opening partnership that virtually sealed the contest. Sudharsan’s excellent innings came to an unfortunate end when he was dismissed hit wicket, repeating the same unusual mode of dismissal that had ended his stay against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1.
Gill, however, continued his masterclass and led the chase with authority. The GT captain brought up a magnificent century and eventually departed after scoring 109 off just 53 deliveries. Washington Sundar chipped in with a quickfire 16 before falling to Nandre Burger.
Jos Buttler and Rahul Tewatia then calmly completed the chase, remaining unbeaten on 9 and 17 respectively, as Gujarat Titans crossed the finish line with seven wickets in hand and secured their place in the IPL 2026 final on home soil.
