GT vs RR

And then there were two, RCB vs GT will lock horns in less than 48 hours from now for a second title and it is already a mouth-watering prospect. Once again, the winner will be one of the two teams that finished in the top-2 of the league stage but who will it be? Needless to say, you do not want to be missing this. Make sure you join us for the Grand Finale of IPL 2026 where the deserved champions will be crowned. For now, this is Sourabh Agrawal signing off on behalf of Pradeep and the rest of the team. Good night, goodbye!

Unsurprisingly, the GT skipper Shubman Gill is the Player of the Match for his glorious 104 off 53 balls. Here is what he had to say: There was some confusion there (at the toss), but happy to get a win. (on him and Sai's partnership) Honestly, we complement each other really well. We understand each other, when we are batting out there the commuincation is that one of us need to take down one of the bowlers and we do that really well.

(on Sai Sudharsan's freakish hit wickets) I have never, no one would have ever seen something like that. I have seen something in social media about taping his hands, I might have to do that now

(his batting tonight) I was in a zone, I was just seeing the gaps and picking the areas that I wanted to hit. Once you get off to a start like that, that is what happens and I wanted to finish the game. Fortunate that we got to chase a total around 210. Very lucky that we have a bowling attack like that, we played Sai (Kishore) tonight and he did not even get to bowl (laughs). Now it is just about clicking on the big day

(How do you feel about playing a final at home?) The feeling is certainly good, just one day turn around. Got to rest and recover, then go there and look at the conditions there. As long as we don't play the occasion, it is fine. That is what we spoke about as well, as long as we play good cricket it does not matter even if we don't get the win 

Sai Sudharsan [Gujarat Titans]: [On his unusual run-outs and finding a solution]“I think I’ll have to start trying a few things now — maybe some extra grip on the bat and a few practice sessions to see what works. Honestly, I still don’t have a proper explanation for how it keeps happening, but hopefully I can figure it out soon.”[On the team’s approach during the chase]“Our plans were very clear from the start. We wanted to be positive, put pressure back on the bowlers, and make the most of the powerplay. The focus was on winning key moments ball by ball rather than worrying too much about the overall target, and fortunately it worked out exactly the way we intended.”[On chasing 214 and the mindset at the innings break]“To be honest, we didn’t spend much time thinking about whether the score was par or above par. Our focus was entirely on executing our plans, starting strongly, and then assessing the game as it unfolded. Keeping things simple and staying in the moment helped us throughout the chase.”[On his successful partnership with Shubman Gill]“There’s definitely a strong understanding between us. We read conditions similarly and know what’s required in different situations. Having said that, Shubman was outstanding today. The way he batted and controlled the innings made a huge difference for the team.”[On how his batting has evolved over the years]“My batting has definitely evolved since the start of my IPL journey. The first few seasons gave me valuable experience and helped me understand areas where I needed to improve. Even now, there are aspects of my game that I want to keep developing, and I’ll continue working on them moving forward.”[On reaching another IPL final]“The entire team and support staff are delighted to be in the final, but the key now is to stay grounded. We’ll continue doing the things that have worked for us throughout the season and keep our approach simple. At the end of the day, it’s another game of cricket, and that’s how we want to treat it.”

Riyan Parag [Rajasthan Royals captain]: [On whether Rajasthan Royals were short of a winning total]“I think another 15-20 runs could have made a significant difference in a game of this magnitude. Even with the strong finish we had, a total in the 230-240 range would have made the chase much tougher. Having said that, even 250 wasn’t going to guarantee anything against a batting line-up of that quality. We knew the key was to get their openers early, and once that didn’t happen, it was always going to be a difficult task.”[On reflecting on Rajasthan Royals’ season]“It’s been a very positive season overall. If I had to sum it up, I’d say not many people expected us to get this far. We had a young squad, several inexperienced players, and a lot of new combinations that we were still trying to figure out. But the character the boys showed throughout the tournament was exceptional. To finish among the top teams and reach this stage is a great foundation for what we hope is a long and successful journey ahead.”[On the emergence of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi]“Vaibhav has been extraordinary. What stands out is that his success isn’t built on blind aggression. There’s a difference between simply swinging hard and batting with awareness, and he does the latter remarkably well. He assesses conditions, understands situations, calculates risks, and plays with maturity far beyond his years. Honestly, it’s difficult to explain how he does it at such a young age. Hopefully he continues on this path, goes on to represent India, brings plenty of success to the country, and helps this franchise achieve even greater things in the future.”

11:24 PM local time and IST: MATCH SUMMARY

Gujarat Titans (219/3 in 18.4 overs) beat Rajasthan Royals (214/6 in 20 overs) by 7 wickets

Shubman Gill 104(53) | Jason Holder 2/27(4)
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 96(47) | Nandre Burger 1/35(4)

It is sealed, IPL 2026 final on May 31 between RCB and GT at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Mark your calendars!

As clinical a run chase you could get, the target of 215 was a healthy one but GT have made it look pedestrian courtesy a flawless century from skipper Shubman Gill ably supported by his partner in crime Sai Sudharsan with whom he put on 167 runs for the first wicket and killed the run chase

There is ecstacy in the GT camp, they are going back to Ahmedabad, a place they have made their own and it is going to be a home final for them but on the other hand there are a few emotional faces in the RR camp. The 15-year old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has the orange cap over his head, the old war horse in Jadeja has an arm around his shoulder to console him and moments later he can be seen seated in the dugout with a tear or two in his eyes. Got to feel for the young boy but he can hold his head high as he has had a season par excellence

Questions have been raised all season long, in fact leading in from the last year around GT's top-order dependence (or over dependence) but here they are into the finals and it is that top order that has carried them into the summit clash. Don't think anyone would be complaining now, up against them now will be a high-spirited RCB side who dismantled them a couple of nights ago in Dharamsala

RR were not at their best with the ball, nor on the field. Sudharsan was dropped by Ferreira in the 4th over when he was just on 14, he went on to score 44 more runs and more importantly the partnership added 127 more runs as GT dismissed even a semblance of a doubt in that run chase. RR were never really in the game from the get go, complete domination from GT in the run chase as they complete their highest successful run chase ever in IPL as well as the highest successful run chase in playoffs and are the desrving finalists

18.4 Brijesh Sharma to Rahul Tewatia, SIX! THAT'S IT! GUJARAT TITANS ARE INTO THE FINAL! They make light work of the chase, seal Qualifier 2 in emphatic fashion, and now stand just one step away from the IPL trophy with RCB waiting in the grand finale. Length delivery on the off-stump, Tewatia slams it over mid-on and goes one bounce into the ropes for a maximum and seal the game.

18.2 Brijesh Sharma to Rahul Tewatia, FOUR MORE! Overpitched outside the off-stump, Tewatia sits on one knee and spanked it over extra-cover, runs away for another boundary. Just two needed now for GT!

18.1 Brijesh Sharma to Rahul Tewatia, FOUR! Just one hit away now GT. Banged in short, Tewatia swivels and firmly pulls it past backward square-leg for a boundary.

10 needed off the last 12 balls! Brijesh and Deshpande have one over each remaining, repeating once again that GT would not want to take it into the final over

17.5 Nandre Burger to Rahul Tewatia, full outside the off-stump, Tewatia lofts it over extra-cover. Archer with the chase, pulls it back in time and they get two.

17.5 Nandre Burger to Rahul Tewatia, WIDE! Slower bumper, angling into the batter. Tewatia looks to ramp it over the keeper's head and misses. Wide signaled for height. RR review that decision and it stays a wide!