Picture Credit: BCCI
A closely fought match in the IPL 2026 saw the Gujarat Titans defeat the Punjab Kings by four wickets. The side chased down 164 with one ball to spare at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.
The outcome hinged on a composed finish from Washington Sundar, who stayed unbeaten on 40 off 23 balls.
With 11 runs needed in the final over, Washington Sundar delivered under pressure. He sealed the match with a well-executed scoop for six off Marcus Stoinis.
The chase unfolded in phases. An early setback came with the dismissal of skipper Shubman Gill, but Sai Sudharsan rebuilt the innings with a steady 57 from 41 deliveries. His partnership of 50 runs with Jos Buttler, who scored 26, ensured Gujarat remained within reach of the target.
Punjab regained control through disciplined spells from Vijaykumar Vyshak and Stoinis, who struck at key moments.
The quick departures of Buttler and Sudharsan left Gujarat at 128 for 4 after 16 overs, leaving the result uncertain.
From there, Sundar took charge, balancing aggression with calculated shot selection. Even as wickets fell at the other end, including those of Rahul Tewatia and Jason Holder, Gujarat stayed in contention, aided by a brief but useful unbeaten contribution from Arshad Khan.
Earlier, Gujarat’s bowling unit had kept Punjab in check. Holder led the effort with figures of 4 for 24, while Mohammed Siraj provided early breakthroughs, dismissing Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly in the opening over.
Kagiso Rabada added to the pressure by removing Prabhsimran Singh, reducing Punjab to 35 for 3 during the power play.
Further setbacks followed as Holder dismissed Nehal Wadhera and Shreyas Iyer, leaving Punjab struggling at 47 for 5.
A strong recovery then came through Suryansh Shedge and Stoinis, who combined for a 79-run stand. Shedge attacked aggressively for his 57 off 29 balls, including a 27-run over off Manav Suthar, while Stoinis contributed a steady 40.
Just when Punjab looked set to push towards a higher total, Gujarat struck back in the closing overs.
Kagiso Rabada broke the partnership by dismissing Vishnu Vinod Shedge. Jason Holder then returned to remove Marcus Stoinis and claim another wicket in the same phase.
A late cameo from Marco Jansen added some runs, but regular wickets meant Punjab finished at 163 for 9.
Punjab’s bowlers, led by Arshdeep Singh (2 for 24) and Vijaykumar Vyshak (2 for 31), kept the chase under pressure throughout. Gujarat, however, held their composure at crucial moments.
Brief Scores
Punjab Kings 163/9 in 20 overs (Suryansh Shedge 57, Marcus Stoinis 40; Jason Holder 4-24, Kagiso Rabada 2-22, Mohammed Siraj 2-28) lost to Gujarat Titans 167/6 in 19.5 overs (Sai Sudharsan 57, Washington Sundar 40*; Arshdeep Singh 2-24, Vijaykumar Vyshak 2-31) by four wickets.
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