In the Qualifier 2 clash between the Gujarat Titans and the Rajasthan Royals, held on May 29 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh, the match turned out to be the most entertaining by making history in a chase.
Journey of GT and RR to Qualifier 2
Gujarat Titans entered Qualifier 2 after finishing among the top teams in the league stage with a consistent run of performances throughout the season. Led by captain Shubman Gill, GT dominated several matches with their balanced combination of explosive batting and disciplined bowling. The Titans secured a direct berth in Qualifier 2 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, forcing them to take the longer route through Qualifier 1.
Rajasthan Royals, meanwhile, had an impressive campaign built around fearless batting and key contributions from both experienced and young players. The Royals finished in the top four during the league stage and advanced to the Eliminator, where they overcame the Mumbai Indians in a high-pressure contest. The victory earned them a place in Qualifier 2 against the Gujarat Titans.
The Qualifier 2 match
Heading into Qualifier 2, both teams were one win away from reaching the IPL 2026 final. After winning the toss, the Rajasthan Royals decided to bat first.
Young batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi once again stole the spotlight with a brilliant 96 off 47 balls, smashing eight fours and seven sixes. His explosive knock laid the foundation for RR's imposing total.
Ravindra Jadeja provided stability in the middle order with an unbeaten 45 off 35 deliveries, while Donovan Ferreira added valuable late runs to push the Royals past 200. For the Gujarat Titans, Kagiso Rabada and Jason Holder picked up two wickets each to keep RR from scoring even bigger.
After reaching over the moon, the Rajasthan Royals secured the highest score of 214 out of 6 wickets. This put the Titans under pressure to secure 215, as it is equally important for both teams to reach the finals.
In reply, the Gujarat Titans delivered one of the finest chases of the season. Captain Shubman Gill led from the front with a magnificent 104 off 53 balls, striking 15 boundaries and three sixes. He shared a match-winning opening partnership of 167 runs with Sai Sudharsan, who scored 58 from just 32 deliveries.
Although the Royals eliminated Sai Sudharsan, later players from GT, like Washington Sundar and Rahul Tewatia, remained unbeaten and led the team into the finals.
The victory marked the Gujarat Titans' highest successful run chase in franchise history and secured their third appearance in the IPL final. Gill was named Player of the Match for his match-winning century. At the same time, Rajasthan Royals' impressive campaign came to an end despite another outstanding performance from teenage star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who broke down in tears after the match.
Final match
The Qualifier 2 held yesterday cleared the way for GT to enter the finals for the third time. The Finals are scheduled for May 31. The match is going to be a great fight between two powerful, impactful teams this season. Tomorrow, the Qualified Titans will face the Royal Challengers of Bangalore at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The match starts at 7.30 pm (IST).
