It was a clash of titans on Saturday, April 4th, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, but in the end, a sensational collapse triggered by Ravi Bishnoi saw the Gujarat Titans fall agonizingly short. In a surprising turn of events, the Titans were led by Rashid Khan after regular skipper Shubman Gill was ruled out due to a muscle strain.
Entering the match with contrasting momentum—the Rajasthan Royals having crushed Chennai in Guwahati, while the Titans were reeling from an opening loss to Punjab—the stakes couldn’t have been higher.
Royals Set the Stage: A Batting Masterclass
In a rare move for the 2026 IPL season, Riyan Parag won the toss and elected to bat first. The decision paid dividends immediately. The Royals’ opening duo, Yashaswi Jaiswal and the teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi, came out firing.
Suryavanshi, who already boasts a lightning-fast century against this very opponent, looked in sublime touch. The highlight of his cameo was an audacious upper-cut for six off an Ashok Sharma delivery clocked at 149 km/h. The Royals blazed to 69/0 in the Powerplay before Suryavanshi departed for a brisk 31 off 18 balls.
Jaiswal continued the onslaught with a steady 55 off 36 balls, but the real impetus came from Dhruv Jurel. Stepping up when the rhythm momentarily dipped, Jurel hammered a magnificent 75 off just 42 deliveries, decorated with five boundaries and five towering sixes. Behind his heroics, Rajasthan posted a formidable total of 210/6.
The Chase: A Tale of Two Halves
Gujarat’s response started promisingly. In Gill’s absence, Kumar Kushagra joined last year’s Orange Cap contender Sai Sudharsan at the top. While Kushagra played a stabilizing role with 18 runs, Sudharsan was in a league of his own.
The left-hander took the fight to Jofra Archer, looting 25 runs off the speedster’s first two overs. Sudharsan’s masterclass included a signature late cut off Ravindra Jadeja as he cruised to his seventh half-century at this venue. At 103/1, the Titans looked like they were strolling toward victory.
The Bishnoi Hurricane
Then came the 11th over, and with it, Ravi Bishnoi.
• The Breakthrough: Bishnoi trapped Sudharsan with a sharp googly on his fourth delivery.
• The Collapse: In his subsequent over, he sent Glenn Phillips and Washington Sundar packing in quick succession.
• The Result: From a comfortable position, the Titans plummeted to 133/5 after Jos Buttler top-edged a pull.
Bishnoi finished with career-best IPL figures of 4 for 41, completely ripping the heart out of the Titans’ middle order.
A Heart-Stopping Finish
Despite the collapse, Rashid Khan and Kagiso Rabada refused to go down without a fight. Their 43-run partnership brought the equation down to 11 runs needed off the final 6 balls.
Tushar Deshpande held his nerve under immense pressure, nailing his yorkers. Rashid Khan had one chance with a slot ball, but he could only slice it to Jofra Archer at sweeper cover. With a six needed off the final ball to force a tie, Ashok Sharma—who earlier in the night set the record for the fastest ball of IPL 2026 at 154.2 km/h—failed to connect with a full toss. Rajasthan Royals escaped with a 6-run victory.
Where did it go wrong for Gujarat?
The Titans’ defeat can be attributed to three critical factors:
1. Bowling Woes: Mohammed Siraj, despite his international pedigree, had an off-day, leaking runs and proving to be the most expensive bowler in the lineup.
2. Fielding Lapses: Several “half-chances” were put down, and crucial run-out opportunities went begging.
3. Middle-Order Irresponsibility: After the brilliant platform set by the openers, the middle order failed to show the necessary composure, losing 3 wickets for just 6 runs during the most critical phase of the chase.
While Ashok Sharma walked away with the speed record, it was the Rajasthan Royals who walked away with the points in this absolute humdinger of a match.