Rajasthan Royals (RR) edged past Gujarat Titans (GT) by 6 runs in the 9th match of IPL 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. After electing to bat first, Rajasthan Royals posted 210/6 on the scoreboard in 20 overs. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi provided a flying start, adding 70 runs for the first wicket in 6.2 overs. Sooryavanshi was dismissed for 31 off 18 balls in the 7th over. After that, Dhruv Jurel and Jaiswal added another 56 runs for the second wicket, with Jaiswal completing his half-century.

Dhruv Jurel played a superb knock of 75 runs off 42 balls. A short cameo by Shimron Hetmyer helped Rajasthan Royals cross the 200-run mark. Kagiso Rabada (2/42 in 4 overs) was the most successful bowler for Gujarat Titans. While chasing, Sai Sudharsan and Kumar Kushagra gave a strong start, adding 78 runs for the first wicket in 8 overs. After that, Gujarat Titans lost wickets at regular intervals but managed to keep the momentum going.

At one point, GT needed 30 runs from three overs. Rabada stepped up and played some excellent shots, hitting Ravi Bishnoi (4/41 in 4 overs) and Sandeep Sharma for powerful straight boundaries. His unexpected batting display brought hope back for GT.

Soon, the equation came down to 15 runs from 12 balls. However, RR bowlers held their nerve. Jofra Archer targeted Rabada with short balls aimed at the body and kept Rashid Khan quiet with precise deliveries. Tushar Deshpande (1/24 in 3 overs), on the other hand, executed a series of perfect yorkers that prevented GT from completing the chase. This is the second straight win of Rajasthan Royals.

Batters Take Advantage of Perfect Pitch

The pitch offered good pace and bounce, making it ideal for batting. Rabada bowled a tight first over, giving away just seven runs and helping GT recover after Mohammed Siraj had an expensive spell.

However, RR batters quickly took control. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi hit a boundary over point, while Jaiswal followed with a powerful pull shot for six. The conditions allowed batters to trust the bounce and play attacking shots throughout the innings.

Jaiswal and Jurel Redefine Shot Selection

Traditional cricket rules seemed irrelevant in this match. Batters attacked from the start without waiting to settle in.

Jaiswal played aggressively, even stepping forward to hit a back-of-length delivery for six. He reached his fifty in style, hitting a powerful shot through the covers off a difficult delivery.

Jurel also impressed with fearless batting. Within his first few balls, he struck a fast delivery for four. He even managed to hit Rashid Khan’s tricky deliveries to the boundary using excellent technique and timing. Later, he charged down the pitch to Rashid and smashed him for a six, a rare sight against such a quick bowler.

Ashok Sharma Stands Out Among Bowlers

Ashok Sharma entered the IPL with a strong reputation after his success in domestic T20 cricket. He proved his ability early by bowling at high speeds, including the fastest ball of the season at 154.2 kph.

Although he had a tough start when a catch was dropped and a boundary followed, he showed great composure. He bounced back by troubling Jaiswal with a sharp bouncer and controlled the over with disciplined bowling.

Even in a high-scoring match featuring top bowlers like Rashid Khan, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jofra Archer, Ashok kept his economy rate under control, finishing below 9.25 in a game where runs were flowing freely.

Sai Sudharsan Balances Technique and Aggression

Sai Sudharsan showcased a different batting approach compared to Jaiswal. While Jaiswal attacked from the start, Sudharsan built his innings carefully before accelerating.

He reached his fifty in 33 balls and played some impressive shots, including a ramp shot for six off Archer. He handled Ravindra Jadeja well, adjusting quickly even when the bowler changed pace.

His calculated batting kept GT in the game until the 13th over, when things suddenly turned.

Bishnoi Changes the Match

At 127 for 2, GT were strong favourites to win. Sudharsan was set, and Jos Buttler looked dangerous.

Then Ravi Bishnoi turned the game around. He took two wickets in three balls, dismissing both Sudharsan and Washington Sundar. His smart variations, especially the googly, troubled the left-handers and shifted the momentum back to RR.

After his spell, RR became favourites to win.

Death Overs Decide the Outcome

GT have a history of pulling off difficult chases, and they nearly did it again. Rashid and Rabada reduced the target from 50 off 30 balls to just 15 off 12 balls, making GT favourites once more.

However, Archer delivered a crucial over with excellent execution. He used short balls to restrict Rabada and accurate yorkers to keep Rashid quiet. A missed full toss by Rabada proved to be a turning point.

In the final over, Deshpande had 10 runs to defend. After starting with a wide yorker that was called wide, he adjusted immediately and bowled four perfect yorkers in a row. Rashid failed to find the boundary.

With 7 runs needed off 2 balls, Deshpande finally missed his length slightly. Rashid sliced the ball towards point, but Archer took a safe catch to seal the match.

Rare Finish Under Pressure

RR’s bowlers delivered a remarkable finish. In fact, this match became only the sixth instance in the last 52 chases where no boundaries were scored in the final 12 balls when teams needed to bat through the 19th and 20th overs.

It was a perfect example of how disciplined bowling can overcome even the toughest batting conditions in T20 cricket.