Chandigarh: A spot in the IPL 2026 final will be on the line when Gujarat Titans take on Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on Friday. The winner will advance to the title clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Rajasthan Royals head into the knockout fixture brimming with confidence after eliminating Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator. Their victory was powered by 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who smashed a breathtaking 97 off just 29 deliveries. Gujarat Titans, on the other hand, will be eager to recover from their crushing defeat to RCB in Qualifier 1.

The contest is expected to pit Gujarat’s well-rounded bowling attack against Rajasthan’s aggressive batting lineup, with Sooryavanshi once again likely to be at the centre of attention.

The teenage opener has become one of the standout performers of the season with his fearless strokeplay, drawing widespread attention alongside some of the league’s biggest stars. Gujarat’s pace duo of Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada will be crucial in containing him. Siraj had dismissed Sooryavanshi with a short-pitched delivery in their previous encounter, and the Titans may look to exploit a similar strategy again.

Players in Focus

For Rajasthan, Sooryavanshi and Jofra Archer remain key match-winners. Archer’s pace and knack for striking early could prove vital against Gujarat’s formidable top order featuring Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler.

Gujarat will depend heavily on captain Gill and Sudharsan after their batting unit faltered against RCB. The finishing abilities of Rahul Tewatia and the middle-over control offered by Rashid Khan could also be decisive in the high-stakes encounter.

Head-to-Head Record

• Matches played: 10
• Gujarat Titans won: 7
• Rajasthan Royals won: 3

Pitch Report

The New Chandigarh surface has generally favoured batters this season, producing several high-scoring matches. While the pitch offers good pace and bounce, bowlers have often found it difficult to contain runs in the latter stages of the innings.

Another run-filled contest is expected, with totals beyond 200 likely to be within reach. Dew could also play a role later in the evening, making chasing an attractive option for the team winning the toss.

Weather Forecast

Conditions are expected to remain hot and dry throughout the match. Temperatures are likely to stay above 35°C during the evening, and there is little chance of rain affecting play.

Probable Playing XIs

Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler, Nishant Sindhu, Rahul Tewatia, Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna.

Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (c), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Ravi Bishnoi, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma.

The Qualifier 2 clash is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM IST. DeshGujarat