Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2023 Recap

Indian Premier LeagueResult

Rajasthan Royals

179/7

Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad · Sunday, 16 April 2023

Rajasthan Royals won by 3 wicketsPlayer of the match: SO Hetmyer

Match preview

Rajasthan Royals edge Gujarat Titans by 3 wickets in Ahmedabad thriller

Match overview

Rajasthan Royals beat Gujarat Titans by 3 wickets at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on 16 April 2023, completing a chase of 178 with their score finishing on 179/7. The result was far from straightforward: Rajasthan lost 2 wickets inside the powerplay for just 26 runs, leaving themselves with plenty to do. The middle overs rescued the innings, delivering 88 runs for 3 wickets before the death phase sealed it with 65 more off the final stretch. Shimron Hetmyer took the Player of the Match award for his contribution to a chase that required nerve throughout.

Gujarat Titans had given themselves a reasonable platform with 177/7 from their innings. A solid middle phase of 77 for 1 underpinned the total, but the loss of 4 wickets for 58 in the death overs meant they finished 29 runs below the venue's average first-innings score of 206. Those runs left behind proved costly. Rajasthan's win moved the overall head-to-head record to 6-3 in Gujarat's favour, but the Royals have now won two of the last three meetings between the sides.

Venue and conditions

Narendra Modi Stadium has hosted 95 T20 matches, producing an average first-innings score of 206 and an average second-innings score of 196. Both sides in this fixture came in noticeably below those figures, suggesting the pitch offered more lateral movement and grip than the surface typically provides. The average powerplay tally at the ground is 43 runs; Gujarat managed 42 and Rajasthan just 26, reinforcing that the new ball did some work on this occasion.

The toss has proven meaningful here: 60% of sides who win it choose to field, and chases succeed 53% of the time. Rajasthan's decision to bowl aligned with that pattern and the outcome bore it out. Death-overs scoring at this ground averages 38 runs per innings, a benchmark both sides substantially exceeded. Rajasthan's 65 in that phase was particularly important, turning a match that could have slipped away into a comfortable final margin.

How to watch

IPL fixtures are broadcast in the UK on Sky Sports Cricket. Both live streaming via Sky Go and day passes through NOW TV are available for viewers without a full Sky subscription. Coverage of evening IPL matches typically begins around 3:00 pm UK time, with first ball usually at 3:30 pm GMT during the standard window, though fixtures involving day games may start earlier. It is worth checking the Sky Sports schedule directly, as the IPL frequently adjusts its programming.

Recent form

Gujarat Titans arrived into this match having won three of their last four IPL fixtures in 2023, with wins over Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, and Chennai Super Kings offset by a defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders. They also recorded a win over Rajasthan Royals in the 2022 season, suggesting form coming in was positive.

Rajasthan Royals came into the game having won three of their last four 2023 outings as well, beating Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Their only slip in that run was a defeat to Punjab Kings. Both sides entered the match in comparable form, which made the toss and early powerplay phase all the more influential in deciding the result.

Talking points

What to look out for

5 angles

Headline angle

Royals win despite powerplay wobble

Rajasthan Royals reached 179/7 despite losing 2 wickets for just 26 runs in the powerplay. The middle overs did the heavy lifting: 88 runs from overs 7 to 15 shifted the balance firmly back towards the chasers. The death overs sealed it, with 65 runs scored at the cost of only 2 more wickets.

Angle 02

Gujarat's middle overs were the real platform

Gujarat Titans accumulated 77 runs for 1 wicket through the middle phase, building a platform after a modest powerplay of 42 runs. However, 4 wickets falling for 58 runs in the death overs kept the target below 180. Had Gujarat held those late wickets, the chase would have been considerably steeper.

Angle 03

Hetmyer named Player of the Match

Shimron Hetmyer took the Player of the Match award for his role in guiding Rajasthan home. His contribution in the death overs was central to a chase that looked precarious at multiple points during the innings.

Angle 04

Royals chose to field and delivered

Rajasthan Royals won the toss and elected to field first, a decision backed by the venue's numbers: 60% of toss winners at Narendra Modi Stadium opt to field, and chases succeed here 53% of the time. On this occasion, the strategy paid off.

Angle 05

Venue average underlines how both teams underperformed with the bat

The average first-innings score at Narendra Modi Stadium across 95 matches is 206. Gujarat's 177/7 was 29 runs below that benchmark. Rajasthan's chase of 179 also came in under the venue's average second-innings score of 196, suggesting conditions offered more to the bowlers than the surface typically does.

Context

Key insights

Historical · Not official

Venue par

206

Avg 1st innings score at Motera

95 matches · 2004–2026

Chase success

53%

Chases completed successfully at Motera

95 matches · 2004–2026

Head to head

6 — 3

Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals — 9 meetings

2022–2026

Gujarat Titans at venue

54%

Win rate across 24 matches at Motera

Rajasthan Royals at venue

61%

Win rate across 18 matches at Motera

Powerplay

45/1.3

Average runs/wickets in overs 1–6 at Motera

Historical aggregates derived from Cricsheet (cricsheet.org) under ODC-BY licence. 2001/02–2026 IPL seasons. For editorial context only — not official live match data, not a forecast, and not betting advice. Projections and comparisons above are frozen from the live state and may not match final statistics.

The rivalry

Who could decide it

Gujarat Titans hold a 6-3 head-to-head lead over Rajasthan Royals across 9 meetings. This result snapped a run of Gujarat dominance and gave Rajasthan consecutive wins in the fixture dating back to 2025. Despite trailing in the overall record, Royals have shown they can win at Narendra Modi Stadium specifically.

Recent meetings

Last 5

2026: Rajasthan Royals won by 6 runs at Narendra Modi Stadium
2025: Rajasthan Royals won by 8 wickets at Sawai Mansingh Stadium
2025: Gujarat Titans won by 58 runs at Narendra Modi Stadium
2024: Gujarat Titans won by 3 wickets at Sawai Mansingh Stadium
2023: Gujarat Titans won by 9 wickets at Sawai Mansingh Stadium

Key player · Rajasthan Royals

SO Hetmyer

Hetmyer was awarded Player of the Match for his contribution to Rajasthan's successful chase of 178. His ability to accelerate in the death overs was decisive in a finish that went to the wire.

Rajasthan Royals

R Ashwin

Ashwin's record at this venue includes figures of 8/94 across Test cricket here, illustrating his affinity with Ahmedabad surfaces. In T20 conditions, his variations add a different dimension to any attack.

Gujarat Titans

AR Patel

Axar Patel's track record in Ahmedabad is substantial: 11 wickets in a single Test match (11/70) at this ground underlines his command of the surface. In T20 format, that pitch knowledge can translate into economical and wicket-taking spells.

Career stats →

Gujarat Titans

CA Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara brings composure to any line-up, with his 247 not out off 440 balls at this venue in Test cricket reflecting his deep familiarity with Ahmedabad conditions. In T20 cricket the context differs, but his reading of a pitch is a consistent asset.

Career stats →

Angles to watch

Analytical angles worth tracking

Observations from the venue data, recent form and historical trends. Editorial context, not betting advice.

Top batter markets may carry more appeal than outright result lines at this venue, given the unpredictable swing between phases visible in both innings here.
The powerplay scoring pattern for both sides in this match (42 and 26 respectively) sat below the venue's average of 43, suggesting bowler-friendly conditions can compress early markets.
Death-overs performance proved decisive: Rajasthan scored 65 runs in the final phase for 2 wickets while Gujarat lost 4 for 58, so sixes and total boundaries markets may reflect this variance.
With a chase success rate of 53% at Narendra Modi Stadium across 95 matches, outright result lines for either side in future fixtures here carry meaningful uncertainty.

For editorial context only. Not a forecast and not betting advice. 18+ only, please gamble responsibly.

Questions

Frequently asked

Rajasthan Royals won the match by 3 wickets. Chasing 178, they reached 179/7 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Shimron Hetmyer was named Player of the Match.

Gujarat Titans posted 177/7 batting first. Rajasthan Royals overhauled that target to finish on 179/7, winning by 3 wickets.

Across 9 meetings, Gujarat Titans lead 6-3. Rajasthan's win on 16 April 2023 continued a recent run of form for them, though Gujarat remain ahead in the overall tally.

IPL fixtures are broadcast in the UK on Sky Sports Cricket. You can stream via Sky Go or pick up a NOW TV day pass if you are not a Sky subscriber. Coverage typically starts around 15-20 minutes before the first ball.

Rajasthan Royals won the toss and elected to field first. That decision aligned with the venue trend at Narendra Modi Stadium, where 60% of toss winners choose to bowl.

Across 95 T20 matches at the ground, the average first-innings score is 206 and the average second-innings score is 196. Both sides in this fixture came in below those figures, pointing to conditions that suited the bowlers.

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