📅 April 04 2026 | By Pulse India News Desk
🏟️ Match Details
Match: Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals, Match 9, IPL 2026
Date: April 4, 2026
Time: 7:30 PM IST
Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Toss: Rajasthan Royals won the toss and elected to bat
Result: Rajasthan Royals won by 6 runs
Score: RR 210/6 (20) | GT 204/8 (20)
Player of the Match: Ravi Bishnoi
🔰 The Bigger Picture
On a flat Ahmedabad pitch where 200+ totals are becoming the norm, this match wasn’t about scoring big – it was about holding nerve under pressure.
Gujarat Titans looked in complete control at 127/2, chasing 211.
But T20 cricket flips fast – and this game flipped brutally.
👉 Rajasthan Royals didn’t dominate the entire match…
👉 They dominated the one phase that mattered most
GT vs RR Scorecard
IPL 2026 – Ahmedabad
GT Bowling
| Bowler | O | R | W | Eco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammed Siraj | 4 | 38 | 1 | 9.5 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 4 | 42 | 2 | 10.5 |
| Rashid Khan | 4 | 34 | 1 | 8.5 |
| Washington Sundar | 4 | 30 | 1 | 7.5 |
| Ashok Sharma | 4 | 36 | 1 | 9.0 |
RR Bowling
| Bowler | O | R | W | Eco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jofra Archer | 4 | 39 | 1 | 9.8 |
| Sandeep Sharma | 4 | 35 | 1 | 8.7 |
| Tushar Deshpande | 4 | 41 | 2 | 10.2 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | 4 | 32 | 0 | 8.0 |
| Ravi Bishnoi | 4 | 41 | 4 | 10.2 |
🔵 FIRST INNINGS – RR BUILD A MATCH-WINNING TOTAL
On a batting-friendly Ahmedabad pitch, Rajasthan Royals didn’t just score runs — they constructed an innings with control and intent across all phases.
⚡ Phase 1: Powerplay (Overs 1–6)
Rajasthan Royals came out with aggressive intent and immediately put Gujarat Titans on the back foot.
Yashasvi Jaiswal looked in sublime touch, timing the ball beautifully and targeting both pace and spin early. GT bowlers struggled with their lengths, and RR capitalized by finding boundaries consistently.
There were no early breakthroughs, and that allowed RR to fully dominate the phase.
👉 End of Powerplay: 69/0
🔥 This was the foundation of the innings.
🧠 Phase 2: Middle Overs (Overs 7–15)
This phase defined the quality of RR’s batting.
While GT managed to pick up a couple of wickets, Rajasthan Royals never allowed the momentum to drop. Dhruv Jurel played a mature and calculated innings, anchoring the batting while rotating strike efficiently.
Whenever the scoring rate dipped, RR found boundaries to maintain pressure.
Jurel shifted gears at the right moment, converting a good start into a match-defining knock.
👉 RR balanced risk perfectly – no collapse, no slowdown
💣 Phase 3: Death Overs (Overs 16–20)
Rajasthan Royals finished strongly, ensuring they crossed the psychological 200-run mark.
Jurel continued his dominance, while support from the lower order helped RR maintain a high scoring rate.
GT bowlers tried to execute yorkers, but RR batters found ways to score, especially through gaps and occasional big hits.
👉 Final 5 overs: 50 runs added
👉 Final Score: 210/6
🔥 Summary:
RR didn’t rely on one phase, they dominated all three phases intelligently
✔ Strong start
✔ Controlled middle
✔ Powerful finish
👉 That’s how winning T20 totals are built.
🔴 SECOND INNINGS – GT COLLAPSE TURNS A WIN INTO A LOSS
Chasing 211, Gujarat Titans started like a team in complete control…
But one phase changed everything.
⚡ Phase 1: Powerplay (Overs 1–6)
GT began the chase perfectly.
Sai Sudharsan looked fluent, playing classy cricket shots and finding gaps effortlessly. The openers ensured there were no early wickets, and the required run rate stayed under control.
RR bowlers couldn’t create pressure, allowing GT to settle comfortably.
👉 End of Powerplay: 56/0
🔥 Perfect platform for a successful chase.
🧠 Phase 2: Middle Overs (Overs 7–15)
💥 THIS WAS THE GAME-CHANGING PHASE
From a dominant position of 127/2, Gujarat Titans completely lost control.
Ravi Bishnoi turned the match on its head with a sensational spell. His variations, control, and attacking mindset exposed GT’s middle order.
Wickets fell in clusters. Pressure built instantly.
Batters who looked set couldn’t convert starts. New batters walked in under pressure and fell quickly.
👉 Score collapse: 127/2 → 161/7
🔥 This single phase decided the match.
💣 Phase 3: Death Overs (Overs 16–20)
Despite the collapse, GT still had a chance.
Rashid Khan and Kagiso Rabada tried to revive the chase with some aggressive hitting. The equation was still achievable if RR made mistakes.
But Rajasthan Royals held their nerve.
Yorkers were executed perfectly. Field placements were spot on. Singles were cut off, and boundaries were controlled.
👉 GT fell short: 204/8
🔥 Summary:
GT didn’t lose because of a bad start…
👉 They lost because of one disastrous middle phase
✔ Great powerplay
❌ Collapse in middle
✔ Fightback at end (too late)
📈 Win Probability Shift
How the match swung from RR’s strong total to GT’s dramatic collapse.
After RR Powerplay: Jaiswal domination
RR 60% | GT 40%
After middle overs: Jurel anchors innings
RR 62% | GT 38%
At innings break: RR 210/6
RR 65% | GT 35%
After GT Powerplay: Solid start
RR 45% | GT 55%
GT at 127/2: Chase under control
RR 40% | GT 60%
Middle overs collapse: Bishnoi magic
RR 85% | GT 15%
Match End: RR seal the thriller
RR 100% | GT 0%
🏏 GT vs RR Playing XI & Impact Players
- Sai Sudharsan
- Kumar Kushagra
- Jos Buttler (WK) ✈
- Glenn Phillips ✈
- Washington Sundar
- Rahul Tewatia
- Rashid Khan (C) ✈
- Kagiso Rabada ✈
- Mohammed Siraj
- Ashok Sharma
- Shahrukh Khan
🔄 Impact Player
🟢 Shahrukh Khan
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Vaibhav Suryavanshi
- Dhruv Jurel (WK)
- Riyan Parag (C)
- Shimron Hetmyer ✈
- Ravichandran Ashwin
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Jofra Archer ✈
- Nandre Burger ✈
- Tushar Deshpande
- Sandeep Sharma
🔄 Impact Player
🟢 Ravi Bishnoi
🏆 Top Performers
🟢 Best Batter
Dhruv Jurel
75 (42)
⚡ Game Changer
Ravi Bishnoi
Middle overs spell triggered GT collapse from 127/2
🎯 Best Bowler
Ravi Bishnoi
4/41
😱 Moment of Match
GT Collapse Phase
From 127/2 to 161/7 – the game flipped completely in RR’s favor
🎯 WHAT WENT WRONG FOR GT?
❌ 1. Collapse from 127/2 changed everything
Gujarat Titans were in complete control of the chase, but the sudden collapse in the middle overs turned a winning position into a losing one.
❌ 2. Failed to handle Bishnoi’s spell
Ravi Bishnoi’s variations and control created pressure. GT batters failed to rotate strike or counter-attack, leading to wickets in clusters.
❌ 3. Middle order didn’t step up
After a strong start, GT’s middle order failed to stabilize the innings. No batter could take responsibility once the collapse began.
❌ 4. Good start but poor phase control
GT dominated the powerplay but lost control in the middle overs, which is where T20 matches are often decided.
❌ 5. Late fight came too late
Rashid Khan and Rabada tried to revive the chase in the death overs, but the required rate had already climbed too high due to earlier damage.
🌟 Player of the Match: Ravi Bishnoi
Ravi Bishnoi – 4/41
Ravi Bishnoi was the standout performer of the match, delivering a match-winning spell that completely turned the game in Rajasthan Royals’ favor.
With Gujarat Titans cruising at 127/2, Bishnoi stepped in and flipped the momentum with a brilliant middle-overs spell. His variations, control, and attacking mindset exposed GT’s middle order, triggering a dramatic collapse.
His ability to break partnerships at the right time ensured RR regained control of a game that was slipping away.
🧠 FINAL ANALYSIS
Gujarat Titans did almost everything right in the chase.
They had the perfect start, controlled the powerplay, and kept the required rate under check. At 127/2, the game was firmly in their hands.
But T20 cricket is decided in moments — and GT lost control in one crucial phase.
Rajasthan Royals, on the other hand, executed their plans perfectly when it mattered most. Dhruv Jurel’s innings gave them a strong total, and Ravi Bishnoi’s spell ensured they defended it under pressure.
💬 In modern IPL cricket, it’s not just about how you start — it’s about who controls the turning point of the match.
