Shubman Gill smashes ton; Titans secure seven-wicket win over Royals

In the IPL 2026 Qualifier 2 match against Rajasthan Royals (RR), Gujarat Titans (GT) emerged victorious by seven wickets at the Maharaja Singh PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh.

With an aim of chasing the target of 215 runs, GT scored 219 runs for the loss of three wickets in 18.4 overs. xsportfeed.quest

Opening batsman Sai Sudharsan scored 58 runs in 32 balls, including eight boundaries and a maximum. Captain Shubman Gill delivered a knock of 104 runs off 53 deliveries, laced with 15 boundaries and three maximums.

Washington Sundar scored 16 runs in nine balls, including two boundaries and a maximum. Wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler scored an unbeaten nine runs in nine balls. Shouldering him was Impact Player Rahul Tewatia, who scored 17 runs in nine balls, with the help of two boundaries and a maximum.

Rajasthan`s Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, and Brijesh Sharma bagged one wicket each. Impact Player Tushar Deshpande, Yash Punja, and Ravindra Jadeja went wicketless in the IPL 2026 match against Gujarat.

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IPL 2026, Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals: First innings` summary

Having opted to bat first, RR`s opening batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal departed on one run in two balls. Fellow opening batsman Vaibhav Sooryavanshi delivered a knock of 96 runs off 47 deliveries, laced with eight boundaries and seven maximums.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Jurel scored seven runs in six balls, including a boundary. Skipper Riyan Parag scored 11 runs in six balls, which included a boundary and a maximum. Facing nine balls, Dasun Shanaka was dismissed on three runs. Jofra Archer managed to score seven runs in four balls, with the help of a maximum.

Later, Ravindra Jadeja garnered an unbeaten 45 runs in 35 balls, with the help of five boundaries and a maximum. Shouldering him was Donovan Ferreira, who scored an unbeaten 38 runs in just 11 balls, including two boundaries and four maximums. With this, the Royals posted a total of 214 runs for the loss of six wickets in 20 overs.

Gujarat`s Jason Holder returned with the figures of two wickets for 27 in four overs. Kagiso Rabada also claimed two wickets by conceding 35 runs in four overs. Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna also bagged one wicket each. Washington Sundar and Rashid Khan went wicketless in the IPL 2026 match against the Royals.

Rajasthan Royals Head Coach and Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara rued the absence of English all-rounder Sam Curran from IPL 2026.

Curran was ruled out of the tournament before the start of the season with a groin injury. RR then signed Sri Lankan Dasun Shanaka as his replacement.

Sam Curran joined the Rajasthan Royals in a trade deal from CSK last year. The trade involved a player swap between RR and CSK, with Ravindra Jadeja and Curran moving from CSK to RR in exchange for Sanju Samson.

Sam Curran features in Vitality Blast despite IPL-ending injury

Sam Curran's IPL exit took a controversial turn when he was seen playing for his home county of Surrey in the T20 Blast in England, despite RR making the playoffs.

RR's IPL campaign ended on Friday when they lost the second Qualifier to the Gujarat Titans in New Chandigarh. GT will now face the defending champions and table-toppers, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, in the IPL Final at Ahmedabad on Sunday.

Curran, in fact, was in action for Surrey against Hampshire on Friday, even as RR's IPL 2026 campaign and the hopes for a second IPL title came to an end.

Sam Curran has been captaining Surrey in the T20 Blast over the last few years, including in 2026. In 3 matches, he has made 141 runs but has chosen not to bowl himself. Surrey won their first two games in the competition before losing to Hampshire on Friday.

Also Read: BCCI summons Hardik Pandya amid growing turmoil at Mumbai Indians

"Disappointing to not see him with us" - Kumar Sangakkara

After RR's loss on Friday, Sangakkara addressed reporters and spoke about Curran's absence.

"We were told that Sam Curran had a season-ending injury, but I think I saw him playing for Surrey for two or three games now, so that was disappointing," he said.

"We'd have loved to have had him here playing for us, but we got Dasun Shanaka as a replacement after we were informed early."

"A tight policy is needed" - Sangakkara

Kumar Sangakkara questioned Curran's commitment and said the BCCI needed to form a stricter policy regarding players who pull out despite being fit.

"A proper, tight policy around that is always a requirement. The BCCI has a strict policy on that. Every player goes through injuries, and if it's a serious injury, a season-ending injury, of course, we understand," he said.

"We've had quite a few injuries. We've also had players like Adam Milne and Hetmyer, who've come here and not had much of a game. Lhuan-dre Pretorius is another one."

"Kwenna Maphaka is another one. They've been here, they've done the hard yards. They've practised. They've carried water for the team, and they've really worked as hard as anyone else to support the team on this journey. It's really up to that individual player to decide whether they want to come or not."

"But I think the BCCI policy around it is very strict now, and that's the way it should continue to be, to make sure that contractual obligations are met properly and genuinely. I think every side in the IPL will benefit from that," he added.

The BCCI's new policy states that if players pull out from the tournament for reasons other than injury, then they would have to face a two-year ban from the IPL.

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Skipper Shubman Gill (53-ball 104) and his opening partner Sai Sudarshan (32-ball 58) came up with brilliant knocks to take their team into the final of IPL-19 with a seven-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals here on Friday.

The duo added 167 runs for the opening wicket in just 12.5 overs before Sudharsan was dismissed hit wicket for the second consecutive time in the tournament.

RR will meet Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the summit clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.

RR’s Vaibhav Sooryavanshi en route his 96 off 47 balls

Chasing 214-6 set by GT, thanks mainly to wonderboy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s 47-ball 96, the GT opening pair hardly looked in trouble as they went about their run-scoring business with ease. Gill smashed three sixes and 15 fours, while Sudharshan hit one six and eight fours as the seamless partnership saw GT home with eight balls to spare.

Earlier, teen Sooryavanshi played some astonishing shots before Donovan Ferreira smashed GT’s Rashid Khan for four sixes in the 20th over to push RR across the 200 mark in the Qualifier 2 clash.

There was a bigger crowd in attendance than on Wednesday night, and the majority of them turned up to watch the 15-year-old Sooryavanshi go about his belligerent business. And they got more than their money’s worth with Sooryavanshi continuing to boss the best bowlers around, including Kagiso Rabada and Jason Holder on this occasion.

Having lost Yashavi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel inside the second over, Sooryavanshi needed to adapt on a used surface where Mohd Siraj, Rabada and Prasidh Krishna came with a clear plan: bowl back of a length into the body and throw in the odd bouncer to contain Sooryavanshi.

With the same pitch picked for the second game in a row, the ball did not come on to the bat as nicely as it did in the Eliminator, yet Sooryavanshi managed to hammer eight fours and seven sixes. Promoted to No. 4 considering the situation, Ravindra Jadeja (45* off 35) played his part perfectly too. Struggling with a tennis elbow, he retired hurt before returning to support Ferreria in the death overs (38* off 11).

3
No. of IPL final appearances for GT

1
Shubman Gill became the first captain to score a century in the IPL Playoffs

521
No. of runs scored by Sooryavanshi in the Powerplay — the most by any player in an IPL season

440
No. of balls Sooryavanshi took to score 1000 IPL runs — the fewest by any player

31
No. of balls Sooryavanshi took to score his half-century on Friday — his slowest IPL fifty

3
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is the third RR player to score multiple half-centuries in the IPL Playoffs

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Former world championships medallist Vinesh Phogat was on Saturday allowed to compete in the women’s 53kg category at the Asian Games selection trials after the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) reversed its earlier stand of restricting her participation to the 50kg division.

The dramatic turn of events came during the official weigh-in on Saturday morning when Vinesh was informed that she would be permitted to compete only in the 50kg category, citing her participation in that weight class in her last four international events, including the Paris Olympics.

The wrestler strongly objected to the decision and accused the federation of discriminating against her by denying her the opportunity to compete in a category of her choice.

Sources present at the venue said the matter escalated before WFI president Sanjay Singh intervened and decided to allow Vinesh to enter the 53kg trials as well.

“We allowed her after she threw accusations and asked the officials to take her weight,” WFI president Sanjay Singh told PTI.

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“We do not want to discriminate anyone. She did not inform which category she wants to compete and still letting her.”

Vinesh subsequently weighed in at 53.9kg and was accommodated in the 53kg draw.

It now sets up an intriguing battle between her, another proven performer Antim Panghal and the fast-rising Meenakshi Goyat.

In a brief chat with media while preparing, Vinesh said, “I am here for at least two years.”

The development was a significant climb-down by the WFI, which had maintained that Vinesh would be considered only for the 50kg category.

The federation’s argument was that the wrestler had consistently competed in that division in recent international competitions and had not formally intimated the WFI about switching categories for the trials.

The issue had already generated considerable controversy after the Delhi High Court directed the WFI to treat Vinesh as an “iconic player” and allow her to participate in the Asian Games selection trials.

Vinesh, however, has competed in multiple weight divisions during her career, including 53kg, and was keen to contest the trials in that category.

The winner of the trials will earn the right to represent India at the Asian Games later this year.

The WFI’s decision to accommodate Vinesh in the 53kg draw ended hours of uncertainty and ensured that one of India’s most decorated women wrestlers remained in contention for an Asian Games berth.

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat prepares after the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) allowed her to compete in the women’s 53kg category for the Asian Games selection trials, at Indira Gandhi Arena, in New Delhi, Saturday, May 30, 2026. Tribune photo: Mukesh Aggarwal

The Indian U18 Women’s Hockey Team started their U18 Asia Cup 2026 campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Malaysia in their opening Pool A match in Japan on Saturday.

India’s 15-year-old forward Nousheen Naz scored both the goals to secure three points for her team.

After a goal-less first quarter, India ended the deadlock in the 19th minute of the match off a penalty corner, when Nousheen capitalized on an opportunity during a set-piece to place the ball into the net and give India a 1-0 lead.

Continuing her good form, Nousheen struck again in the second quarter. In the 28th minute, she beat Malaysian goalkeeper with a sharp shot to double India’s lead to 2-0 before the hooter signalled half-time.

Malaysia looked to recover in the second half and eventually managed to cut India’s lead down to one goal in the 41st minute, as Nur Azli breached the Indian post to reduce the margin to 2-1.

The Indian defence kept the opposition from causing further damage in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.

India created several scoring opportunities throughout the match and earned a total of 16 penalty corners. Nousheen was named ‘Player of the Match’ for her two goals, which proved to be the difference.

With this win, India are currently placed second in Pool A behind Korea. Both teams have three points each but are separated by goal difference.

India will play Korea in their next pool match on Sunday, May 31, 2026.

Also Read: From a Broken Stick in Seoni to the India Jersey: Nausheen Naz’s Fight Against Doubt and Poverty

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