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Indian Premier LeagueResult
Gujarat Titans

Gujarat Titans

217/6
Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan Royals

159/10

Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad · Wednesday, 9 April 2025

Gujarat Titans won by 58 runsPlayer of the match: B Sai Sudharsan

Match preview

Gujarat Titans dismantle Rajasthan Royals by 58 runs in Ahmedabad

Match overview

Gujarat Titans beat Rajasthan Royals by 58 runs at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on 9 April 2025. Gujarat posted 217/6 from their 20 overs, a total built on a solid powerplay of 56 runs and accelerated sharply by 72 death-over runs. Rajasthan's reply never got going in the middle overs and they were bowled out for 159. B Sai Sudharsan was named Player of the Match. Rajasthan won the toss and chose to field, a decision that looked reasonable in theory but unravelled as Gujarat's batters found their rhythm.

For Gujarat, this was the fourth win in their last five IPL outings and keeps them firmly in the hunt for a top-four finish. For Rajasthan, two consecutive losses will raise questions about their middle-order depth, particularly given the 58-run margin in a chase where the venue's historical data suggests close finishes are the norm.

Venue and conditions

Narendra Modi Stadium has hosted 95 IPL matches, and the numbers here are instructive. The average first-innings score sits at 206, and Gujarat's 217 exceeded that benchmark comfortably. The average second-innings score is 196, so Rajasthan's 159 fell 37 short of even the typical losing total at this ground. Teams who bat first here do so facing a venue that teams choose to field at 60 per cent of the time, though the chase success rate is 53 per cent. Effectively a coin toss.

The powerplay has historically produced an average of 43 runs at the ground. Both sides beat that figure: Gujarat scored 56 in the first six overs and Rajasthan 57. The difference came in the death overs, where the venue average is 38 runs. Gujarat hit 72 in that phase. Rajasthan managed 20, with 4 wickets falling in those final four overs. That swing of 52 runs against the death-overs average largely explains the margin.

Dew can be a factor in evening matches on the subcontinent, making it easier to bat second as the ball skids on more readily. If anything, conditions appeared to suit Gujarat's bowlers as they closed out the match comfortably through the back end.

How to watch

IPL 2025 is broadcast in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports Cricket, with streaming available via Sky Go and NOW TV. Evening fixtures in India typically begin at 19:30 IST, which translates to 14:00 BST or 15:00 BST depending on the time of year. Afternoon matches (15:30 IST) usually start around 10:00 BST. Check your broadcaster's listings for the confirmed UK start time for each fixture.

There is no free-to-air television coverage of the IPL in the UK at present, so a Sky Sports subscription or a NOW Sports membership is required to follow the tournament live.

Recent form

Gujarat Titans arrived at this fixture carrying strong momentum. Their three-match winning run included victories over Sunrisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians, making Rajasthan the fourth consecutive opponent they had beaten before this game. Their only recent defeat came against Punjab Kings.

Rajasthan Royals had a more mixed recent record. Back-to-back wins against Punjab Kings and Chennai Super Kings were encouraging, but losses to Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad suggested inconsistency, particularly against sides in good form. A third defeat in five matches here will prompt some scrutiny of their bowling options in the death overs, where they conceded 72 runs to Gujarat on a ground where 38 is the historical average. The next fixture in the IPL calendar will offer both sides an early chance to respond to this result.

Talking points

What to look out for

5 angles

Headline angle

GT's death overs firepower proves decisive

Gujarat Titans plundered 72 runs from the final four overs of their innings at the cost of four wickets, lifting the total well beyond the venue average first-innings score of 206. That late surge put a target of 218 well beyond a Rajasthan Royals side that managed just 20 runs in their own death phase.

Angle 02

Rajasthan's chase collapsed in the middle overs

Rajasthan Royals lost four wickets during overs 7 to 15 while scoring 82 runs, leaving them too much ground to cover at the death. The required rate climbed steeply after that period and four more wickets fell in the final four overs as they were bowled out for 159.

Angle 03

B Sai Sudharsan earns Player of the Match

Sudharsan was named Player of the Match for his contribution to Gujarat Titans' 217/6. He was central to the innings that exceeded the venue's average first-innings total by 11 runs across 95 matches at the ground.

Angle 04

Toss winners came off second best

Rajasthan Royals won the toss and chose to field, a decision that aligns with the ground's tendency: teams elect to field 60 per cent of the time at Narendra Modi Stadium. On this occasion the strategy backfired badly, conceding 217 before losing by 58 runs.

Angle 05

Head-to-head swings back in Gujarat's favour

Gujarat Titans now lead the all-time head-to-head 6 wins to 3 across nine meetings. Rajasthan had won two of the previous three encounters between the sides, so this result restores some breathing room for the Titans in the rivalry.

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 and Rajasthan Royals have met nine times in the IPL, with Gujarat holding a clear advantage at six wins to Rajasthan's three. The fixture has swung back and forth across venues, with both Narendra Modi Stadium and Sawai Mansingh Stadium featuring in the recent history. This result strengthens Gujarat's overall record in what has become a reasonably competitive rivalry.

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
  • 2024: Gujarat Titans won by 3 wickets at Sawai Mansingh Stadium
  • 2023: Gujarat Titans won by 9 wickets at Sawai Mansingh Stadium
  • 2023: Rajasthan Royals won by 3 wickets at Narendra Modi Stadium
BS

Key player · Gujarat Titans

B Sai Sudharsan

Sudharsan was named Player of the Match for his innings as Gujarat posted 217/6. He was the standout performer with the bat on the night and continues to be central to the Titans' top-order structure.

AR Patel

Gujarat Titans

AR Patel

Axar Patel brings left-arm spin that can be difficult to negotiate in the middle overs on subcontinental surfaces. His ability to keep scoring in check during the critical phase is a key asset for the Titans.

Career stats →
R Ashwin

Rajasthan Royals

R Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin's off-spin offers control and variation, but Rajasthan's bowling attack as a whole struggled to contain Gujarat's batters once the innings gathered momentum in the death overs.

Career stats →
R Dravid

Rajasthan Royals

R Dravid

With Rahul Dravid's connection to Rajasthan Royals in a coaching capacity, the side's batting blueprint will be under scrutiny after being bowled out for 159 chasing 218 on a ground where the average second-innings score is 196.

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 be of more interest than outright lines at a ground where individual performances such as Sudharsan's can swing a match significantly on their own.
  • The death-overs runs market could be shaped by how batting sides approach the Narendra Modi Stadium's historically high average of 38 runs in that phase. Gujarat scored 72.
  • With the chase success rate at the ground sitting at 53 per cent across 95 matches, outright markets on T20s here tend to be closely priced. This result was an outlier rather than the norm.
  • Powerplay dismissals markets are worth contextualising against the venue average: Rajasthan lost 2 wickets in 57 powerplay runs, which is broadly in line with typical conditions at the ground.

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

Questions

Frequently asked

Gujarat Titans won by 58 runs. They posted 217/6 batting first and bowled Rajasthan Royals out for 159 in reply. The result came at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on 9 April 2025.

B Sai Sudharsan was named Player of the Match for his batting contribution to Gujarat Titans' total of 217/6. He was the standout performer as GT surpassed the venue's average first-innings score of 206.

Across nine IPL meetings, Gujarat Titans lead 6 wins to 3. Rajasthan had won two of the three matches immediately before this fixture, but Gujarat's victory here restores their overall lead in the head-to-head.

IPL 2025 matches are broadcast in the UK on Sky Sports Cricket, with streaming available via Sky Go and NOW TV. Most matches are played in the evening Indian Standard Time, which typically means a UK start time between 14:30 BST (afternoon fixtures) and 19:30 BST (evening fixtures). Check your TV listings for the precise UK kickoff time.

Rajasthan Royals scored 57 runs in the powerplay but lost 2 wickets. They then lost a further 4 wickets during the middle overs for 82 runs, which effectively ended the chase. Only 20 runs came from the final four overs as 4 more wickets fell, and they were dismissed for 159.

Rajasthan Royals won the toss and chose to field first, consistent with the tendency at Narendra Modi Stadium where teams elect to field 60 per cent of the time across 95 matches. On this occasion, the strategy did not pay off as Gujarat posted 217 and won by 58 runs.

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