New Chandigarh: Gujarat Titans (GT) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) are set to clash in a high-voltage encounter in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2026, with a coveted place in the IPL Final at stake. This crucial showdown will be played at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh, on Friday, May 29, at 7:30 PM. Rajasthan Royals arrive with great momentum after their impressive Eliminator victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), while Gujarat Titans will look to bounce back strongly after their heavy defeat in Qualifier 1 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). GT now come into Qualifier 2 with a second opportunity to secure their place in the IPL 2026 Final.
Rajasthan Royals qualified from the Eliminator powered by the sensational teenage star Vaibhav Sooriyavanshi’s explosive batting display. The Royals’ batting order is being led with confidence, aggression, and fearless intent by the young sensation, whose outstanding form and attacking batting have become one of the biggest talking points of the tournament. In the bowling department, Jofra Archer is also in extremely dangerous form, consistently delivering crucial breakthroughs and taking important wickets whenever the team requires them the most.
On the other hand, Gujarat Titans suffered a heavy defeat in Qualifier 1 after a poor collapse in the top order, which heavily affected the outcome of the match. GT’s batting lineup is largely dependent on their opening trio — Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler. Although Rahul Tewatia played a crucial role in the previous match, GT still struggled with consistency in the middle order and finishing department, something they must recover from quickly ahead of this crucial clash.
The spotlight will once again be on teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooriyavanshi and his exciting battle against the GT bowlers. In the previous GT vs RR encounter, Mohammed Siraj successfully dismissed the young star, making their face-off once again in this crucial qualifier even more exciting and highly anticipated. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler will have to tackle the fiery opening spell of Jofra Archer, whose pace and aggression could play a decisive role in this high-pressure contest.
This season, Gujarat Titans (GT) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) have faced each other twice. In their first meeting, Rajasthan Royals secured a thrilling 6-run victory in a closely contested match, while in the second encounter, Gujarat Titans responded strongly with a commanding 77-run win. Overall, across their IPL meetings, the two teams have played 10 matches, with GT winning 7 and RR winning 3, highlighting a competitive rivalry with Gujarat Titans holding the upper hand.
Rajasthan Royals Squad:
Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Donovan Ferreira, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Ravi Singh, Aman Rao Perala, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Ravindra Jadeja, Dasun Shanaka, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Kwena Maphaka, Ravi Bishnoi, Sushant Mishra, Yash Raj Punja, Vignesh Puthur, Brijesh Sharma, Adam Milne, Kuldeep Sen, Sandeep Sharma, and Nandre Burger.
Expected Playing XI – Rajasthan Royals:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (c), Dasun Shanaka, Donovan Ferreira, Shubham Dubey, Jofra Archer, Ravindra Jadeja, Nandre Burger, Yash Raj Punja
Impact Player: Ravi Bishnoi
Gujarat Titans Squad:
Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler, Kumar Kushagra, Anuj Rawat, Tom Banton, Glenn Phillips, Sai Sudharsan, Nishant Sindhu, Washington Sundar, Arshad Khan, Sai Kishore, Jayant Yadav, Jason Holder, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Singh Brar, Ishant Sharma, Ashok Sharma, Luke Wood, Kulwant Khejroliya, and Rashid Khan.
Expected Playing XI – Gujarat Titans:
Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Arshad Khan
Impact Player: Nishant Sindhu
The weather in Chandigarh is expected to remain hot and mostly dry during the match. The temperature is likely to stay around 35–37°C at the start and may cool slightly later in the evening. The forecast predicts hazy sunshine along with breezy winds, while chances of rain remain low to moderate. However, isolated thunderstorms and gusty winds are possible in nearby areas, as the India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for parts of the region. Overall, the weather is not expected to cause any major interruption, and the match is likely to proceed smoothly. The pitch at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium is expected to be batting-friendly. The surface has produced several high-scoring matches this season, offering good pace, bounce, and carry that allow batters to play attacking strokes freely. Fast bowlers may get some early seam movement with the new ball during the powerplay, but batting is expected to become easier as the match progresses. Spinners and bowlers using cutters could receive some assistance during the middle overs as the pitch slightly slows down later in the innings. Dew is also likely to play an important role in the second innings, making chasing easier under the lights. A first-innings total around 200–220 could be considered a competitive score on this surface. This match is extremely crucial and highly exciting, as both teams are just one step away from the IPL 2026 Final, and it will ultimately decide which team secures a place in the final.
