A breathtaking masterclass from skipper Shubman Gill eclipsed a heroic effort from teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, steering the Gujarat Titans (GT) into the IPL 2026 final. In a high-octane Qualifier 2 clash at the PCA Stadium in Mullanpur, the Titans successfully hunted down a mammoth target of 215, eliminating the Rajasthan Royals (RR) by seven wickets with eight balls to spare.
Earlier in the evening, the 15-year-old Sooryavanshi lit up the stadium. Despite losing his opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel within the first two overs, the uncapped sensation played a fearless innings. He blasted a spectacular 96 runs off just 47 balls, anchoring the Royals’ innings alongside Ravindra Jadeja. Supplemented by Donovan Ferreira’s late-over fireworks, Rajasthan posted a formidable 214/6. In doing so, Sooryavanshi became the first uncapped player to breach the 700-run mark in a single IPL edition, alongside setting a new record for the most runs scored in the powerplay.
However, the night ultimately belonged to Shubman Gill. Chasing 215, the GT captain showcased elite composure and regal strokeplay. Refusing to resort to mindless slogging, Gill relied on pristine timing and elegant placement to dissect the Rajasthan bowling attack. He brought up his fifth IPL century off just 47 deliveries, registering the fastest hundred in IPL playoff history.
Gill found a perfect ally in Sai Sudharsan, who played an equally elegant hand of 58 off 32 balls. Together, the duo stitched a magnificent 167-run opening partnership, completely breaking the back of the chase and neutralizing Rajasthan’s premier speedster, Jofra Archer.
Though Gill was eventually dismissed for 104 off 53 balls—an innings studded with 15 boundaries and three sixes—the foundation had been firmly laid. The Titans cruised across the finish line to secure their third final appearance in five years. While a heartbroken Sooryavanshi was left in tears in the dugout, Gill’s history-making knock sets up a blockbuster championship showdown against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.