Gujarat Titans Crush Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 4 Wickets in a Thrilling Chase

Gujarat Titans Crush Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 4 Wickets in a Thrilling Chase

Ahmedabad – On a night when the dew settled over the Narendra Modi Stadium like a prophecy, the IPL witnessed a heist that wasn’t about brute force but about surgical precision. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) posted a modest 155. The Gujarat Titans (GT) chased it down in 15.5 overs. But those cold numbers mask a bloodline of a contest—one where Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s swing caused a top-order collapse, only for a forgotten finisher and a lethal pace duo to script a four-wicket victory with 25 balls to spare.

This is the story of that chase. Told in runs, wickets, and the silences in between.

Part One: The RCB Innings – A Collage of Starts and Stops

The Fall of the Openers: Bethell and Kohli Go Cheap

RCB’s innings began with a promise that evaporated quicker than the morning dew. Jacob Bethell, the young left-hander, walked in with an aura of intent. He sliced the second ball he faced—a full-length delivery from Mohammed Siraj—through cover for a boundary. His stay lasted five balls. On the fifth, Siraj angled one across, Bethell’s bat swung in a thick arc, but the edge flew straight to Rashid Khan at backward point. Bethell walked back for 5 (5 balls, 1 four, SR 100.00). Score: 34/1 in 2.4 overs.

Enter Virat Kohli. The stadium erupted. For exactly 13 balls, Kohli was vintage—a flick off his pads, a carve over mid-off, then a monstrous six over long-on. He raced to 28 off 13 (5 fours, 1 six, SR 215.38). And then, Kagiso Rabada happened. A back-of-a-length delivery that held its line, Kohli’s attempted punch found the outside edge, and Rashid Khan at slip gobbled it with his telescopic reach.

35/2 in 3.2 overs. RCB were reeling.

Padikkal’s Elegy and Patidar’s Promise

Devdutt Padikkal—a name that once belonged to RCB’s past—now stood in their crease as an opponent. And he played like a man with a point to prove. His 40 off 24 (5 fours, 2 sixes, SR 166.67) was the innings’ only oasis. He drove Arshad Khan through extra cover, then launched Rashid over long-on. For a while, he found a partner in captain Rajat Patidar (19 off 15, 2 fours, 1 six, SR 126.67). Together, they added 44 runs for the third wicket.

But Patidar’s downfall was a dagger. Arshad Khan—the unheralded left-arm pacer—bowled a cutter that stuck in the surface. Patidar’s lofted drive found Jason Holder at long-off. 79/3.

Then a collapse within a collapse.

Jitesh Sharma (1 off 3, SR 33.33) fell next: a short ball from Jason Holder, a glove to Jos Buttler. 80/4. Tim David (9 off 6, 1 six, SR 150.00) gave a cameo of false hope before Rashid Khan deceived him with a googly that Holder caught again. 91/5. Krunal Pandya (4 off 4, 1 four, SR 100.00) tried to break the shackles but only found Holder for the third time—off Arshad Khan again. 96/6.

RCB had gone from 79/3 to 96/6 in 21 balls. Six wickets for 17 runs.

The Lower-Order Resistance: Shepherd and Iyer’s Brief Stand

Romario Shepherd (17 off 15, 2 sixes, SR 113.33) and Venkatesh Iyer (12 off 15, 1 four, SR 80.00)—the Impact Player—added 30 runs for the seventh wicket. It was ugly, but it was essential. Shepherd’s two sixes off Rabada were the only fireworks in a dark tunnel.

Then Arshad Khan returned. He had Iyer caught at deep square leg (126/8). Next over, Holder had Shepherd caught at long-off (126/9). RCB were 126/9.

What followed was the most bizarre passage of play. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (15 off 15, 2 fours, SR 100.00) decided that if the batters couldn’t score, he would. He swung Arshad Khan over midwicket for a four, then carved Holder past point for another. With Josh Hazlewood (0 off 1, run out) as his mute companion, Bhuvneshwar added 29 runs for the last wicket.

The innings ended when Hazlewood was run out by Jos Buttler—a direct hit from the deep. RCB finished at 155 all out in 19.2 overs.

Bowling Summary – GT

Arshad Khan (3/22) was the unsung hero. Rashid (2/19) was his usual miserly self.

 The GT Chase – Bhuvneshwar’s Masterclass, Then a Twist

The Wicket That Wasn’t Meant to Be: Sudharsan’s Early Exit

Chasing 156, Sai Sudharsan (6 off 5, 1 four, SR 120.00) began with a punch through covers off Bhuvneshwar Kumar. It looked elegant. Two overs later, Bhuvi brought one back into the left-hander. Sudharsan played inside the line. The ball kissed the off-stump. 42/1 in 2.6 overs.

The dismissal read: v c Jitish Sharma b Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Wait—Jitish Sharma? That’s a typo in the scorecard; it’s Jitesh Sharma, the RCB wicketkeeper. A sharp low catch.

Gill and Buttler: A 50-Run Blitz That Defied Gravity

Shubman Gill (43 off 18, 4 fours, 3 sixes, SR 238.89) walked in like a man who had memorized the RCB bowling attack’s deepest fears. He drove Josh Hazlewood through mid-off for four. He pulled him for six. Then he welcomed Suyash Sharma with a slog-sweep that landed in the second tier.

Jos Buttler (39 off 19, 2 fours, 4 sixes, SR 205.26) was even more brutal. He stepped down the pitch to Romario Shepherd and launched him over long-on. He picked Suyash’s googly and deposited it over deep midwicket. In 3.1 overs, they added 50 runs. Gill reached his 43 in just 18 balls.

Then Bhuvi struck again.

A slower off-cutter. Gill, looking for his fourth six, miscued it to Virat Kohli at long-on. 57/2 in 4.6 overs.

The Buttler Breakthrough

Buttler continued his carnage. He slashed Hazlewood for back-to-back fours, then smashed Suyash for another six. He was on 39 off 19. Score 92/2 in 7.3 overs.

Enter Bhuvneshwar Kumar for his third over. A knuckle ball. Buttler’s eyes lit up, he went for a big heave, but the ball stuck in the pitch. The leading edge flew to short third man—Romario Shepherd this time? No, the scorecard says v b Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Bowled. Middle and leg pegs disturbed.

92/3. Bhuvi had 3/28 in 4 overs. He had removed Sudharsan, Gill, and Buttler. RCB were back in the game.

The Middle-Order Stutter: Sundar and Shahrukh Fall Cheap

Washington Sundar (12 off 12, 1 six, SR 100.00) and Shahrukh Khan (8 off 8, 1 four, SR 100.00) tried to rebuild. But Romario Shepherd—who had been expensive earlier—found redemption.

First, a full toss that Sundar miscued to deep midwicket. 109/5 in 10.1 overs (Shahrukh had fallen an over earlier, caught by Hazlewood off Shepherd for 8). Then, next ball, Sundar holed out. Wait—the scorecard order is confusing. Let’s clarify from the GT batting sheet:

• 109/4: Shahrukh Khan c Hazlewood b Shepherd (8 off 8) – 10.1 overs

• 111/5: Washington Sundar c ? b Shepherd (12 off 12) – 10.3 overs

Yes, Shepherd picked two in three balls. 111/5. GT needed 45 off 56 balls with five wickets left. Should be easy, but RCB sensed a miracle.

The Holder Wicket and Rashid’s Cameo

Jason Holder (12 off 10, 1 six, SR 120.00) tried to accelerate. He smashed Suyash Sharma for a six over long-on. Next ball, he went for another but found Devdutt Padikkal at deep square leg. 141/6 in 13.5 overs.

Enter Rashid Khan (7 off 6, 1 four, SR 116.67). He hit a boundary first ball and then defended. At the other end, Rahul Tewatia (27 off 17, 4 fours, SR 158.82) played the innings that won the match.

Tewatia’s Cool Kill

With 15 needed off 30 balls, Tewatia flicked Hazlewood through square leg for four. Then he cut Suyash for back-to-back boundaries. The equation became 7 off 24. Then 4 off 18.

In the 15th over, with 4 to win, Tewatia drove Shepherd through cover for a boundary. Game over.

GT: 158/6 in 15.5 overs. Won by 4 wickets with 25 balls left.

Part Three: The Bowling Card That Tells Two Stories

RCB Bowling (vs GT)

Bhuvneshwar (3/28) was exceptional. Shepherd (2/30) redeemed himself after a poor first over. Hazlewood (0/56) had a night to forget. Suyash (1/44) was too expensive on a pitch that didn’t turn much.

GT Bowling (vs RCB) – Recap

• Arshad Khan: 3/22 (Player of the Match candidate)

• Rashid Khan: 2/19

• Jason Holder: 2/29

• Mohammed Siraj: 1/38

• Kagiso Rabada: 1/44

Epilogue: The Numbers That Matter

• Largest partnership for GT: 50 runs (Gill + Buttler) off 25 balls.

• Most sixes in the match: Buttler (4) and Gill (3).

• Most economical bowler: Rashid Khan (4.75 econ) and Bhuvneshwar (7.00 econ in a T20 chase is gold).

• The “Impact Player” effect: Venkatesh Iyer flopped (12 off 15) for RCB; Rahul Tewatia (27 off 17, not out) succeeded for GT.

In the end, the scoreboard read: GT won by 4 wickets (25 balls left). But the real story was Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s 3/28 being undone by Tewatia’s 27* and Arshad Khan’s career-best 3/22.

The Titans rose. The Royal Challengers fell. And the IPL’s beautiful chaos continued under the Ahmedabad lights.