New Delhi, May 30: Gujarat Titans (GT) have reached the finals of IPL 2026. On Friday, they secured their spot by defeating Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the second qualifier. The significant contribution came from openers and captain Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan. In the match against RR, the duo formed a remarkable partnership, scoring 167 runs for the first wicket in just 12.5 overs. Former all-rounder Irfan Pathan has hailed Gill and Sai as the best opening pair in IPL history.
Pathan stated on JioStar, “The partnership of Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan is the finest opening pair in IPL history. They hold the record for the most partnerships of 100 and 50 runs in this tournament. Their success lies in how naturally their games complement each other, allowing Gujarat to consistently apply pressure on opposing bowlers.”
He added, “In T20 cricket, if you want a strong start, you want these two opening. They complement each other perfectly. One rotates the strike while the other hits boundaries. Their mutual understanding is exceptional.”
Discussing their partnership against RR, Pathan noted, “This pair capitalized on Rajasthan’s strategic errors during the powerplay. Attempts to trouble them with short-pitched deliveries played right into their hands. When bowlers throw short balls, they actually enjoy it. They are always ready to play cut shots and send any short ball over the boundary. That’s exactly what Nandre Burger and Jofra Archer did. They bowled short balls, and Gill and Sudharsan were just waiting for that. RR lost the match while these two were at the crease.”
Pathan praised Gill’s aggressive approach against both pace and spin bowlers, emphasizing that the Gujarat captain’s willingness to step up makes it even harder to stop him. Shubman Gill is unafraid to use his feet against both fast bowlers and spinners. He steps up, creates space, and strikes the ball from above.
In the second qualifier, RR set a target of 215 runs for GT. Thanks to Gill’s 104 runs and Sudharsan’s 58, along with their 167-run partnership off 77 balls, GT chased down the target, scoring 219 runs for 3 wickets in just 18.4 overs, winning the match by 7 wickets.
Looking at their season performance, Gill has scored 722 runs in 15 innings across 15 matches, including 1 century and 6 half-centuries. Meanwhile, Sai Sudharsan has amassed 710 runs in 16 innings from 16 matches, with 1 century and 8 half-centuries. Their batting has been crucial in leading GT to the finals.
GT will play the final against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at their home ground, Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, this Sunday.
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