GT vs RR, IPL 2026 Q2: Gujarat enter final with highest chase in playoffs

Tewatia finishes things off in style, with two boundaries and a six. GT through to the final and they will face RCB in the final at home. What an exceptional team this has been. Take a bow, Gill & Sudharsan.

OH, oh. Washi skies one from Nandre Burger and Ferreira takes a good running catch. GT still need 14 to win. Just four runs and a wicket from the over.

No, there was no opening for GT. Washi is dealing in boundaries, and hits a six and a four against Archer. Mere formalities remain now. What a match this has been for Gujarat.

Slight twist in the tale here? Jofra Archer bowls a straight one to Gill, and he is out lbw. Is there an opening here for Rajasthan? The batting is rather weak, so let's find out.

Gill has just transformed this match. Home boy Gill comes up with 47-ball 100. And it looked quite effortless. And for it to come in a qualifier, is truly exceptional. Well done, skipper.

Gill has been exceptional here. Once again he gets a couple of boundaries, is nearing his ton. Oh god. What has happened here again. Sai Sudharsan is hit wicket just like the last match. His bat swings in his hands, goes back and crashes into the stumps.

And now, Sai Su reaches his 50 with a six in only 27 deliveries. RR management would be booking their tciekts back home by now. Punja continues to leak runs.

Now, GT might end up getting to the target in 17-18 overs, the way Gill and Sudharsan are going at the moment. Jaddu is hit for a couple of sixes in the over, and Rajasthan have no clue in the world. 19 runs from the over.

Shubman Gill pulls Tusha Deshpande for a massive six. That is GT's first in this innings. And he brings up yet another 50 here. GT are winning this comfortably. 100 also comes up for the team.

Yash Raj Punja introduced, and Sai is fully set and is dealing in boundaries, easily. Not looking good for Rajasthan, and Riyan Parag is not a happy man. Where will the first wicket come from? Wickets, not wicket, needed.

Change in bowling and Parag gets in Tushar Deshpande. There isn't much dew, but still RR bowlers are erring in their lines. This over fetches 10 runs as well. Powerplay comes to an end as well.

Has the pitch improved for batting? Gill and Sai are going along easily. Rajasthan bowlers have been poor as well. So, trouble for RR for now. A decent over comes to an end here.

How costly will this be? Donovon Ferreira has dropped Sudharsan on 14. He ran to his left but never looked in a great position at any time. In the end, the ball barely grazes his fingers. Perhaps the fielder coming from fine leg should've gone for it.

Another poor over. Nandre Burger starts with 5 wides. The ball leaves Gill and goes past the first slip. Gill and Sudharsan just rotate strike after it and 12 runs come off it.

Looks like the ball is coming onto the bat much better than in the first innings. Makes life easy for GT batters. Now, RR will have to find a way.

Rajasthan have subbed Tushar Deshpande in for Jaiswal. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan have started exceptionally well against Jofra Archer. Some poor bowling. 19 off the first over. Best start possible for Gujarat.

Most sixes in IPL playoffs in a single edition

• 19 - Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in 2026
• 11 - Wriddhiman Saha in 2014
• 11 - Shubman Gill in 2023
• 10 - Rajat Patidar in 2022
• 9 - Rajat Patidar in 2026

Royals ended up scoring 45 in the last 2 overs, which has given them a major boost. Remember, Gujarat hasn't chased anything over 204 in the IPL. 

• Overs 1-6: 70/2 at 11.66 RPO
• Overs 7-15: 68/3 at 7.55 RPO
• Overs 16-20: 76/1 at 15.2 RPO

4 sixes from the final over from Ferreira off Rashid Khan powers RR to 214/6 at the end of 20 overs, with the South African scoring 27 runs off the final over. GT need 215 runs to win.

After scoring 97 in the previous game, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is dismissed for 96 in the Qualifier 2 of IPL 2026, as he gets caught out by Prasidh Krishna off Kagiso Rabada in the 18th over. The 15-year-old has been dismissed thrice while batting in the 90s.

• 𝟰𝟰𝟬 - 𝗩𝗮𝗶𝗯𝗵𝗮𝘃 𝗦𝗼𝗼𝗿𝘆𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶
• 545 - Andre Russell
• 560 - Tim David
• 575 - Travis Head
• 575 - Phil Salt

Vaibhav Sooyavanshi is the fastest Indian to reach 1000 IPL runs. He reaches the landmark with a boundary.

Vaibhav Soryavanshi is hit on his head while Kaigso Rabada attempts a short delivery. The physio rushes out to check on the batter as a part of the mandatory concussion test

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi reaches his half-century off 31 balls, his slowest in the IPL. He has scored 6 fours and 2 sixes so far.

Rajasthan Royals lose another wicket after a 73-run stand between Sooryavanshi and Jadeja. Dasun Shanaka is the latest to depart as he extends his poor run of form in IPL. He falls for 3 off 9 balls, trying to pull but got an inside edge for a good catch by Jos Buttler. This was Holder's 17th wicket in IPL 2026, best bowling performance in his IPL career in a season.

Sai Sudharsan drops Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. How costly would that be? Sooryavanshi tried to pull Prasidh but got a top-edge. Sai ran a few yards and got underneath the ball but dropped the catch at square leg.

Jason Holder gets a big wicket and Rajasthan Royals lose their captain. Riyan Parag tried to flick a full-length delivery nonchalantly but had no timing. Rabada was stationed at deep mid-wicket and he took an easy catch. Parag departs for 11 off 6 and GT are back in the game again.

Riyan Parag makes his move and intentions clear. Rashid Khan keeps bowling fast and short and gets hammered by Riyan Parag and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for four and two sixes. He ends up conceding 18 runs from the over.

Ravindra Jadeja needed treatment after a Jason Holder delivery struck him on the wrist. Now, he is going off the field. RR and India will hope that nothing is serious.

Rajasthan Royals post 70/2 in the powerplay. It is not like how they batted in the last game. RR have traded blows, losing Jaiswal and Jurel. But Sooryavanshi and Jadeja have ensured that RR don't lose steam. The runs have started coming easily now. Sooryavanshi has also completed 500 runs in the powerplay in IPL 2026 alone.

Gujarat Titans physio has rushed in after Mohammed Siraj pulled up a muscle in his shoulder while trying to bowl. His fitness would be crucial.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ravindra Jadeja are leading the fightback after Siraj and Rabada troubled RR batters. Jaiswal and Jurel both fell in the first two overs. Even though Sooryavanshi does not look at absolute best, mistiming almost all deliveries, he is coming back in form.

Rajasthan Royals have sent in Ravindra Jadeja to prevent a collapse. But the way Kagiso Rabada and Mohd Siraj are bowling, it's highly unlikely.

Kagiso Rabada gets his 19th wicket in the powerplay in IPL 2026. His 146kph delivery skidded on and Dhruv Jurel was late to react. He tried to take it on but miscued completely for an easy catch to Shubman Gill. Rajasthan are in trouble now.

An early blow and a big one for Rajasthan Royals. Excellent bowling by Mohd Siraj and he gets Yashasvi Jaiswal. India's Test opener was cramped for room and as he tried to salvage and went for the hit over square leg, he did not time it well. The ball landed safely in Prasish Krishna's hands. RR 2/1.

All eyes will be on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as he begins Rajasthan Royals' innings with Yashasvi Jaiswal. At this same venue, Sooryavanshi smashed 97 off 29 balls against SRH. The 15-year-old has a strike rate of 245.1.

Gujarat Titans have dropped Kulwant Khejroliya after a lacklustre show in Qualifier 1 against RCB. Sai Kishore returns considering the pitch is dry.

Shubman Gill (capt), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Jason Holder, Washington Holder, Nishant Sindhu, Rashid Khan, Sai Kishore, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj

Impact player options: Rahul Tewatia, Glenn Phillips, Anuj Rawat, Kumar Kushagra, Arshad Khan

Rajasthan Royals opted for an unchanged Playing XI. However, when they bowl, RR could consider bringing in a spinner considering the surface is dry. 

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (capt), Donovan Ferreira, Dasun Shanaka, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma, Yash Raj Punja

Impact player options: Shubham Dubey, Sushant Mishra, Aman Perala, Ravi Bishnoi, Tushar Deshpande

Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag won the toss and opted to bat first against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2. There was an issue with first toss, forcing Shubman to flip the coin again. He won the first toss but the match referee did not hear the call. The match referee picked up the coin without the camera focusing on the coin.

🚨Toss update from New Chandigarh 🚨@rajasthanroyals won the toss and elected to bat first against @gujarat_titans

Updates ▶️ https://t.co/eupS8cBPc2#TATAIPL | #Qualifier2 | #TheFinalLeap | #GTvRR pic.twitter.com/VuLXsWl9Ih

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 29, 2026

One of the inaugural teams and the champion of the first edition, Rajasthan Royals have played 12 matches in the IPL playoffs, winning 6, losing as many. RR's record in Qualifier 2 is 33%. They have played 3, won 1, lost 2. RR played their last Qualifier 2 in 2024, losing to Sunrisers Hyderabad. 

Stat	Mat	Won	Lost
Semi-final	1	1	0
Qualifier 1	1	0	1
Eliminator	5	3	2
Qualifier 2	3	1	2
Final	2	1	1
Overall	12	6	6

Since their debut in 2022, Gujarat Titans have played 6 matches in the IPL playoffs, winning three, losing as many. GT played the Qualifier 2 once in 2023 and beat Mumbai Indians by 52 runs to play the final against CSK. 

Stat	Played	Won	Lost	Win%
Overall	6	3	3	50.00
Qualifier 1	3	1	2	33.33
Eliminator	1	0	1	0.00
Qualifier 2	1	1	0	100.00
Final	2	1	1	50.00

As for Gujarat Titans, they have to recover quickly from a rough night. First, their bowlers, the best in the IPL 2026, conceded 254. Then their batters fell like a pack of cards. Chasing 255 against RCB in Qualifier 1, they were bowled out for 16. The top three of Sudharsan, Gill and Buttler have carried them all season, and at least two need to fire today. 

The bigger job is stopping Sooryavanshi. Siraj dismissed him with a short ball in the last meeting, and the GT bowlers may go back to that plan. Rabada, Siraj and Prasidh up front, Rashid through the middle. It's a serious attack. It needs to be at its best.

The toss is coming up at 7 PM in Mullanpur. Will it be a big factor at the Mullanpur stadium? Maybe not. In five matches at this venue, two teams, opting to bat, have won matches. Three teams have won by chasing a target. But as we have seen, the pitch has further flattened out, offering excellent assistance to shot makers; batting first won't be a bad idea here. RR scored 243 against SRH in the last game. Both teams started on a blazing note. The average powerplay run rate here is 12.18. Bat first or chase first, it won't be a big deal. But with predictions of some rain, chasing a target could be ideal.

The momentum belongs to Rajasthan Royals. RR have won three in a row, including a 47-run win over SRH in the Eliminator. The teenager is the story, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, hit 97 off 29 balls against SRH. He took apart Pat Cummins and arrives at another belter looking to do it again, against Kagiso Rabada. 

However, it seems RR’s entire hope is pinned on Sooryavanshi. If he fails, the batting crumbles. Apart from Sooryavanshi, only Dhruv Jurel ensured RR have a total to defend. Yashasvi Jaiswal has faded away after a great start to the season. Even as Sooryavanshi was striking at 334.48, Jaiswal scored 29 off 29 at a strike rate of 100. The rest came and gone with quickfire knocks. RR need their batters to come alive against GT’s bowling attack. Otherwise, they will be knocked out.

In the bowling department, Jofra Archer leaked 58 runs but also returned with three crucial wickets. Nandre Burger was erratic but he managed to keep things under control later on. Ravindra Jadeja also bowled defensive overs. But against GT, RR need their bowlers at their best. 

Things can change quickly in Mullanpur and it could be a long game. There is a 40% chance of rain in the afternoon to evening, during the match on Friday. There could be multiple interruptions during the match. But for now, the sky is clear. It will be hot and humid. But if it rains or there is heavy cloud cover, pacers like Kagiso Rabada and Jofra Archer can extract some swing and get early wickets in the powerplay. Considering the chance of rain, teams would be opting to bowl first. 

With no reserve day in place for Qualifier 2, the game time will be increased to 120 minutes instead of 60 to finish the match and have a result. But if a Super Over isn’t possible, then Gujarat Titans will qualify for the IPL 2026 finals as they finished with more points in the league stage (18 points) as opposed to RR (16 points).

📍Mullanpur, Punjab pic.twitter.com/7JJw9hL8BU

— Varinder Singh Khosa (@VarinderKhosa77) May 29, 2026

Mullanpur has hosted five matches in IPL 2026, and it has been a belter. The powerplay number leaps out. A run rate of 12.18 in the first six overs, a wicket falling only every 36 balls. Openers have batted with near-total freedom here. For RR, with Jaiswal and Sooryavanshi, that's the ideal setting. For Archer and the GT pacers, the powerplay is where the wickets need to come, and the data says they don't come easily.

The middle overs are the real battleground. Thirty-one wickets across the five games in this phase, one every 17.4 balls, the most of any phase. The run rate dips to 10.07. Rashid, Bishnoi and the spinners on both sides earn their money here. Win overs 7-15, and you probably win the game.

The chase-and-defend records tell the story clearly. The highest successful chase here this season is 228 (PBKS chasing down RR). As for what the captains should do at the toss, batting first or second won’t matter. Three teams have won chasing, but it does not take away the runs a team can score batting first. 

• Avg Run rate in IPL 2026: 10.74
• Average 1st innings score: 220
• Match results: Chasing sides won 3 of 5 (60%). Toss winners won 3 of 5 (60%).
• Highest successful chase: 228 (PBKS vs RR, 2026)
• Lowest total defended: 111 (PBKS vs KKR, 2025)

GT have dominated this rivalry. Seven wins from 10 IPL meetings against Rajasthan, the most recent a 77-run GT victory. This season, both teams split a match each. RR won in Ahmedabad, and GT won in Jaipur. The Jaipur win was the 77-run thrashing.

RR have a perfect record in Mullanpur, winning all four matches. GT have played three, winning one and losing two. RR also played the Eliminator here, so they know the conditions far better than their opponents.