IPL 2026: Siraj and Rabada put Gujarat Titans in control against Sunrisers Hyderabad

• Gujarat Titans scored 168 for 5 after Washington Sundar’s half-century.
• Mohammed Siraj dismissed Travis Head in the first over of the chase.
• Kagiso Rabada removed Abhishek Sharma and Ravichandran Smaran.
• SRH slipped to 34 for 4 at the end of the power play.
• B Sai Sudharsan scored 61 runs off 44 balls for GT.

Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad faced off in a crucial IPL 2026 match in Ahmedabad, with both teams looking to move closer to a playoff spot. SRH captain Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bowl first.

GT had a slow start after losing captain Shubman Gill early. Praful Hinge dismissed Gill after the batter mistimed a shot to mid-wicket. GT struggled to score freely in the power play and managed only 34 runs, their lowest power play score of the season.

Hinge struck again when Jos Buttler attempted a scoop shot and edged the ball to the wicketkeeper. GT slipped to 26 for 2 as SRH bowlers kept the pressure on with disciplined bowling on a sluggish pitch.

Young batter Nishant Sindhu provided some momentum for GT. The 22-year-old scored quickly and reached 20 runs off just nine balls. He played controlled shots and helped GT recover during the middle overs.

Kagiso Rabada of Gujrat Titans celebrates the wicket of Prabhsimran Singh of Punjab Kings during the 2025 IPL match between Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings at Match 5 Narendra Modi Stadium on March 25, 2025, in Ahmedabad, India.Getty Images

Pat Cummins continued to trouble the GT batters with his bounce and movement. He later dismissed Sindhu, who failed to clear the sweeper cover while attempting a lofted shot. GT reached 68 for 3 after 10 overs.

B Sai Sudharsan then held the innings together with another steady knock. He reached his sixth fifty of the season and played an important role on a difficult batting surface. Sudharsan scored 61 runs from 44 balls before falling in the death overs while attempting a scoop shot.

Washington Sundar added the finishing touch to the innings with a valuable half-century. He played several strong pulls and creative scoops during the final overs. Sundar reached his fifty in 33 balls before getting out near the end of the innings. GT finished with 168 for 5.

SRH’s chase got off to the worst possible start. Mohammed Siraj dismissed Travis Head in the first over with a swinging delivery. Head top-edged a flick shot and was caught as SRH ended the opening over without a run.

Rabada then produced a dramatic second over. Abhishek Sharma hit the South African pacer for a six on the first ball, but Rabada responded immediately. He cramped Abhishek for room with a short delivery, forcing him to chop the ball back onto his stumps.

Rabada continued his strong spell by dismissing Ishan Kishan and later removing Ravichandran Smaran. Siraj and Rabada dominated the powerplay with pace and movement, leaving SRH struggling at 34 for 4 after six overs.

The match remained crucial for both teams, as the winner would move to the top of the IPL 2026 standings with 16 points and strengthen their playoff hopes.