Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s impressive knock of 96 went unrewarded as Gujarat Titans defeated Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets on Friday, securing a spot in the IPL final against reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
In pursuit of 215 runs for victory following Sooryavanshi’s back-to-back scores of 90-plus in the previous match, Gujarat captain Shubman Gill’s century (104) propelled his team to victory with eight balls to spare in New Chandigarh.
Gill and opening partner Sai Sudharsan (58) formed a strong partnership of 167 runs, guiding Gujarat to their third final appearance in five seasons since winning the title in 2022, despite losing the first playoff to Bengaluru.
Sooryavanshi, a rising star, concluded the season as the top run-scorer with 776 runs, showcasing his talent with an explosive innings of 47 balls containing eight fours and seven sixes. Gill, the Indian Test and ODI captain, followed closely behind with 722 runs and has the opportunity to surpass Sooryavanshi in the final in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Reflecting on his performance, Gill, named Player of the Match, credited his success to focusing on finding gaps while batting well, enabling him to execute his shots effectively.
Both Gill and Sudharsan displayed controlled batting against a formidable bowling attack led by Jofra Archer. Despite Sudharsan’s dismissal due to hitting his own wicket, the duo set up a solid foundation for the successful chase, with contributions from Jos Buttler and Rahul Tewatia guiding Gujarat to victory.
Earlier in the match, Sooryavanshi’s partnership with Ravindra Jadeja, who scored an unbeaten 45, shone for Rajasthan as they posted 214-6. Sooryavanshi fell short of a century for the second consecutive game but played a crucial role in stabilizing the innings with his fifth half-century of the season, showcasing his skill and composure at the crease.
Gujarat’s fast bowlers posed challenges for Sooryavanshi with short deliveries, but the young batsman showcased resilience, bouncing back after an edge off Kagiso Rabada’s delivery struck his helmet. He accelerated the scoring with boundaries and sixes, forming a valuable partnership with Jadeja.
Despite Donovan Ferreira’s late blitz with an unbeaten 38 off 11 balls, Rajasthan’s effort fell short as Gujarat’s bowlers, including Rabada and Jason Holder, made crucial breakthroughs to secure their place in the final showdown.
