Chennai Super Kings were officially knocked out of IPL 2026, marking three consecutive seasons without finishing in the top-four after winning the last of their five titles so far in 2023. Their hosts and opposition on the night, Gujarat Titans, leaned on the traits that defined them this season – top-three batting and Powerplay bowling – to clinch a crushing 89-run win. The victory has sealed a top-two finish for GT, with their heavy margin of victory ensuring that only one of RCB and SRH can finish above them on NRR if it boils down to it.
GT's top 3 continue their sprint
The GT captain became one of only four cricketers to reach 6000 T20 runs before turning 27. But that was a footnote to how he started in the Powerplay, hitting 35 off 18 which put into context that his opening partner managed only 21 from the other 18 balls he faced in the Powerplay. This underscored the gains Gill has made to his starts. Even in his orange cap-winning season of 2023, his first 10-ball SR was 135.44. This year it is 166.94. The highlight of his Powerplay assault was how readily he charged out of his crease, shuffled across his stumps and opened up the off-side to hit boundaries.
Gill completed a 23-ball half-century, getting to the mark with a pair of sixes against Noor Ahmad before he was reprieved on 51 when CSK failed to review for a caught-behind after Gill nicked an attempted pull off Gurjapneet Singh.
Having made 24 off 22, Sudharsan cut loose against Anshul Kamboj, pulling a six before being gifted a four off a misfield. With Noor going for 16 in an over, Gaikwad looked to squeeze an over out of Shivam Dube, a move that backfired as Gill took him down for three fours. CSK did stack up two tight overs – 11th and 12th – through Gurjapneet and Noor, which resulted in the end of the 125-run stand the following over when Gill miscued Spencer Johnson.
Jos Buttler walked out and hit his first ball for four, a sign of both the state of the pitch and GT’s position in the game.
“GT only have three batters” has become a running joke, but GT will take that every day given the output and consistency of the trio. Buttler ensured all three posted half-centuries, reaching his fifty in exactly the same number of balls as Gill – 23. He got there in the 19th over with consecutive boundaries after Sudharsan had fallen to Anshul Kamboj.
Sudharsan’s 53-ball 84 lifted him to the top of the run charts, while Buttler’s unbeaten knock, studded with four sixes, powered GT to 229.
CSK's batting order fails yet again
If the ‘top-three’ with the bat is one theme, GT’s Powerplay exploits are another. It was on display once again as Siraj got Sanju Samson out for a golden duck with an outswinger that the CSK opener threw his bat at without moving his feet and nicked off.
Gaikwad, who dropped back to No. 3 to allow Matt Short to open, came out with positive intent, striking a pair of sixes before a cross-seam nip-backer from Siraj knocked him over. Siraj got a third when Urvil Patel skied a pick up shot. Kagiso Rabada, unwilling to be left out, added a fourth wicket in the Powerplay by knocking over Short, effectively ending CSK’s challenge and campaign right there.
Shivam Dube played one of his better knocks of a forgettable season, smashing four sixes and as many fours in a 17-ball 47 but fell to a terrific catch from Gill, who also found a direct hit to run Kartik Sharma out. Rashid Khan ran through the lower order to formalise the big win.
SCORECARD: Gujarat Titans 229/4 in 20 overs [Sai Sudharsan 84 (53), Shubman Gill 64 (37), Jos Buttler 57 (27); Gurjapneet Singh 0-31] beat Chennai Super Kings 140 in 13.4 overs [Shivam Dube 47 (17); Mohammed Siraj 3-26, Rashid Khan 3-18] by 89 runs.