Chennai Super Kings’ yellow outnumbered Gujarat Titans’ cosmic blue in the Narendra Modi Stadium stands, but it was the home team that handsomely outscored the visitors on Thursday.
GT’s 89-run victory not only brightened its Qualifier 1 chances but also knocked out the five-time champion from IPL 2026.
True to its form and fame, the GT top-order delivered the goods. B. Sai Sudharsan (84, 53b, 7×4, 4×6), Shubman Gill (64, 37b, 7×4, 3×6), and Jos Buttler (57 n.o., 27b, 5×4, 4×6) displayed batsmanship of the highest order as Titans amassed 229 for four.
The GT openers began with their typical elegance, hitting the first six in the last over of the PowerPlay.
The second phase of the innings, however, had some more power-hitting. While Gill’s first six off Noor Ahmad placed him in the 6000-run club in T20s, the second maximum signalled the GT captain’s 23-ball half-century.
Gurjapneet Singh could have removed Gill had CSK gone for a review for caught-behind. The Super Kings players’ reaction when replays confirmed that the Titans skipper had caught an edge encompassed the story of the match.
Sai Sudharsan quickly shifted gears as GT reached the 100-run mark in the 10th over. It was also the 10th time Sai Sudharsan and Gill breached the three-figure mark as partners, putting them level with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru duo of Virat Kohli and A.B. de Villiers for most 100-plus stands in the IPL.
Gill’s departure in the 13th over did not affect the scoring rate. In fact, Buttler only enhanced it. His brutal range-hitting provided the finishing kick to GT’s innings.
The run chase — which started with Super Kings losing three for 29 inside three overs and five for 63 in seven — was virtually non-existent before Shivam Dube’s 17-ball 47 (4×4, 4×6) made the game interesting.
However, once Dube was sent back by Rashid Khan with the scoreboard reading 116 for six, CSK’s fate was all but sealed. The early damage inflicted by Mohammed Siraj (three for 26) and Kagiso Rabada (three for 32) proved just too much as CSK was bundled out for 140.
