Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s knock in vain as Gill-Sudharsan set up RCB vs GT rematch in IPL 2026 Final

The Gujarat Titans (GT) have survived a Vaibhav Sooryavanshi masterclass in Mullanpur to set up a rematch with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Gujarat hunted down 216 against the Rajasthan Royals (RR), completing their highest-ever chase in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s masterclass goes in vain

Similar to Qualifier 1, Gujarat were chasing; only this time it was Rajasthan who decided to bat first. But quickly, everyone realised that the surface in Mullanpur wasn’t the same as the Eliminator. Everyone, including Sooryavanshi, found it tough to middle the ball.

The early moisture in the pitch saw the new ball bounce extra. Short balls, especially bouncers, weren’t easy to get away. Gujarat got Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel in the first 2 overs, owing to the extra bounce. Ravindra Jadeja stabilised the ship before retiring hurt. Riyan Parag, Dasun Shanaka and Jofra Archer tried but couldn’t do much.

In the meantime, Sooryavanshi kept on batting. He ducked bouncers, realising he can’t pull with control. His fifty came off 31 balls in the 13th over. From there on, he went boom. The 15-year-old smashed 46 runs in the next 16 balls before going on 96 off 47. Donovon Ferreira’s takedown of Rashid Khan, 4 sixes in the last over, took Gujarat to 214.

Sooryavanshi scored 97 off 46 and guided Rajasthan to 214 | Image Credit: AP Photo/Anupam Nath via Alamy (modified by ChatGPT)

Shubman Gill takes Gujarat Titans to IPL 2026 final

The total looked enough. There was help on the surface until the 15th over, and Rajasthan had an in-form Archer. But it all went pear-shaped quickly. The pitch died down. There was no zip or extra bounce with the new ball. Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan had no issues timing the ball, something everyone struggled to do in the first innings, especially early on.

Archer and Nandre Burger didn’t bowl well, but the surface wasn’t aiding them at all. On a short ground, with nothing to offer for bowlers, chasing 215 wasn’t going to be tough. The RR bowlers went hunting for wickets and lost control more often than not. GT ended the powerplay 69/0, ahead in the game.

After the field opened up, Gill picked up the pace. From 29 (19) in the first 6 overs, he went to 90 (43) in the next 6. Smashing 61 runs in just 24 balls. The game was done. Parag tried Jadeja, Brijesh Sharma, Tushar Deshpande and Yash Raj Punja, but nothing worked as Gill picked the gaps with perfection. His power game came to the forefront as well.

Sudharsan was hit wicket again, as his bat slipped out of his hand and onto the stumps. Soon after, Gill registered his hundred off 47 balls and departed in the next over. But the game was pretty much done. Gill and Sudharsan had done their bit, Gujarat needed just 33 from 30 balls and had 8 wickets in hand.

They lost Washington Sundar but Jos Buttler got them across the line, winning the ball with 8 balls to left and getting GT into the IPL 2026 Final. Now, they’ll look to exact revenge on RCB, who hammered them in Qualifier 1.

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