Source sport star
AHMEDABAD — In a dominant display of bowling precision and aggressive batting, the Gujarat Titans (GT) secured a comfortable four-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday. The win, powered by Arshad Khan’s clinical three-wicket haul and a blistering start from skipper Shubman Gill, keeps the Titans firmly in the hunt for a playoff spot.
Arshad Khan Dismantles the RCB Middle Order
After winning the toss and opting to bowl, Gujarat’s decision paid immediate dividends. Despite a vintage early burst from Virat Kohli, who smashed five boundaries off one Kagiso Rabada over to race to 28, the Bengaluru innings quickly derailed.
The turning point came when Rabada got his revenge, dismissing Kohli caught by Rashid Khan. From there, the middle order crumbled against the Titans’ disciplined attack. Arshad Khan was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with figures of 3/22, including the vital wickets of Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya. Rashid Khan provided his trademark squeeze, returning exceptional figures of 2/19 at an economy of just 4.75.
Only Devdutt Padikkal offered significant resistance for the visitors, scoring a composed 40 off 24 balls, but RCB were eventually bundled out for a sub-par 155 in 19.2 overs.
Gill and Buttler Set the Pace
Chasing 156, the Titans left no room for doubt. Captain Shubman Gill led from the front, unleashing a whirlwind 43 off just 18 balls (4 fours, 3 sixes) to ensure the Powerplay belonged to the hosts. Jos Buttler mirrored the aggression with a fiery 39, putting the RCB bowlers on the back foot early.
The Finishing Touch
Though RCB veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar managed to claw things back with a triple strike (3/28), the target was never enough to truly pressure the Titans. Rahul Tewatia (27* off 17) and Rashid Khan stayed calm to navigate the closing stages.
Tewatia, the designated “Impact Player,” sealed the game with 25 balls to spare, hitting the winning runs to hand RCB their third loss of the season.
Match Summary
Team Score Top Performers
RCB 155 (19.2) D. Padikkal (40), V. Kohli (28); Arshad Khan (3/22)
GT 158/6 (15.5) S. Gill (43), J. Buttler (39); B. Kumar (3/28)
Result: Gujarat Titans won by 4 wickets.
