GT vs RR Qualifier 2 Results

6:32 PM IST The victorious captain of the Gujarat Titans - Shubman Gill is also the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his match-winning 104 (53). He says that there was some confusion at the toss, but he is happy to get the win. Adds that he and Sai complement each other well, and the communication between them is really good. They know each other's game pretty well, and they know that one of them has to take one bowler down, and they are very good at deciding who will take on which bowler. Gill mentions that no one has probably seen anything like that before, especially with the way Sai has been dismissed hit wicket in two matches in a row. Tells that he recently came across a video on social media about taping the bat handle and jokes that Sai might have to try that in the next game. Speaking about his knock, he says he was simply in a zone where he focused on finding the gaps rather than trying to hit the ball too hard. He adds that he was watching the ball closely, backing his scoring areas and timing everything nicely, which is what tends to happen when a batter is in good rhythm. Gill admits they felt 215 was chaseable, especially after at one stage it looked like the opposition would only get around 180-190. After the strong start, he says the discussion was about finishing the game, which is why he was disappointed with the way he got out. On the variety in their bowling attack, he says the side is fortunate to have several quality bowling options. He points out that Sai Kishore played this game but did not even need to bowl, highlighting the depth they possess with six or seven bowling choices alongside a deep batting lineup. He ends by saying that it is now about putting everything together in the final and hopes the team can deliver another strong performance.

6:31 PM IST The Titans march into the Finale - A tough loss for the Rajasthan Royals, which marks the end of the road for them. And now, it's time for the final dance as the summit clash is locked and loaded for the 19th IPL season. It will be the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, taking on the 2022 champions, Gujarat Titans, at the gigantic Narendra Modi Stadium. A familiar rivalry rekindled, a rematch of Qualifier 1 where RCB prevailed. But finals have a way of rewriting scripts. Will history repeat itself, or will the Titans turn the tide this time around in front of their home crowd? We shall find out on Sunday, 31st May, and the first ball of the Grand Finale is scheduled to be bowled at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT). But our build-up will begin well in advance, so do mark your presence for that as well. Until then, we sign off. Stay safe, CIAO!

6:20 PM IST The Royals finished on a high - It looked like a two-paced surface initially, and a GT fightback through the middle overs set the stage for a cagey finish, but Rajasthan Royals had enough elixir left. Sooryavanshi was the heartbeat of the innings, picking his moments before launching into a breathtaking assault at the death, with Ferreira piling on the misery for Rashid Khan in the final over, plundering 4 sixes off it. Jadeja, battling a tennis elbow injury that forced him off mid-innings, dug deep to return and finish on 45 off 35, giving the innings crucial spine after early strikes from Siraj and Rabada early in the innings. RR looked in all sorts, but eventually they did manage to put on a challenging 214 on the board.

6:18 PM IST Sooryavanshi shines yet again - You have got to feel for this god-gifted kid. Sooryavanshi cut a dejected figure in the RR dugout as the final whistle blew on their campaign, and in that moment, the teenager finally showed his age. On the field, facing bowlers, there is not a trace of it. He carried RR's batting yet again, almost single-handedly, with a sensational 96. The century remained out of reach for Sooryavanshi for the second time running, but the maturity and intent stitched into every shot told a story far bigger than the number he finished on.

6:17 PM IST ... Time for the post-match Presentation ...

6:16 PM IST The Prince's hunger to claim the crown - The frontline attack was left in tatters as the two openers grew increasingly imperious, unfurling a gallery of graceful strokes at will. Dew remained absent, yet batting had become a noticeably different proposition from earlier in the evening, when Rajasthan's batters had wrestled with a two-paced surface. And then, in a moment nobody saw coming, Sudharsan did what no RR bowler could manage, he got himself out, hit wicket for the second game running. With the way he was batting, that was perhaps the only way to send him back. But by then, the damage was irreversible. Gill brought up a classy hundred, though he was dismissed sooner, with almost run-a-ball needed. Buttler, Sundar, and Tewatia ensured GT coasted home safely.