A tense final over by pacer Tushar Deshpande led Rajasthan Royals to a nail-biting six-run triumph over Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium. Rajasthan, batting first, posted a competitive 210/6 in 20 overs, fueled by strong performances from Dhruv Jurel and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Despite a valiant effort from Gujarat’s Sai Sudharsan, supported by Rashid Khan and Kagiso Rabada, the hosts fell just short of the target.
Opting to bat after winning the toss, Rajasthan’s aggressive start saw Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi pressure the Gujarat bowlers early on. Jaiswal’s fluent stroke play helped Rajasthan reach 69/0 in six overs before Sooryavanshi’s dismissal by Rashid Khan for a quick 31 off 18 balls. Jaiswal continued his fine form, scoring a well-paced 55 off 36 deliveries before falling to Rabada.
Jurel’s explosive 75 off 42 balls, complemented by contributions from Shimron Hetmyer and the middle order, propelled Rajasthan past the 200-run mark. In response, Gujarat, missing regular captain Shubman Gill, started steadily with Sudharsan and Kushagra reaching 56 without loss in the powerplay. However, leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi’s four-wicket haul turned the tide in Rajasthan’s favor, despite a late surge from Rashid and Rabada.
As wickets fell, Gujarat’s chase faltered, and the pressure intensified. A thrilling final over, bowled by Deshpande, saw Rajasthan emerge victorious by restricting Gujarat to secure a tense win in the season’s first nail-biter.
