IPL 2026 | Qualifier 2: GT vs RR | Preview and Prediction

A wounded Gujarat Titans will have to pick themselves up from the canvas following their trouncing against Royal Challengers Bengaluru as they will lock horns with a fired-up and supremely confident Rajasthan Royals side in a straight shootout to play in the Final in this utterly exciting Qualifier 2 clash in the 2026 IPL season.

Here is our Preview and Predictions for the game.

IPL 2026 | Qualifier 2: Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals | 19:30, May 28

The Gujarat Titans entered Qualifier 1 with genuine hopes of giving the defending champions an almighty run for their money. Instead, they were pummelled into utter submission with disdain and ruthlessness as they suffered a rather crushing 92-run defeat that will definitely leave major concerns in the team and its balance.

Nothing typified the defeat more than the Titans’ meek surrender after their top-3 were dismissed rather cheaply, going to show just how dependent they are on Shubman Gill, B Sai Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler to get the majority of their runs. This is a recurring theme of the way GT bats and while it has had its fair share of success, their recent capitulation is a stark reminder of the fact that they are just one batting collapse away from elimination.

The bowling also took a massive beating against RCB, completely losing the plot in the final 7 overs after bowling 13 disciplined overs. Kulwant Khejroliya, playing his first game in such a high-stakes situation, was completely overwhelmed by the moment as he was brutally dispatched to all corners of the ground by Rajat Patidar, which was the start of a devastating carnage. They cannot afford another bowling performance of the same kind against a Royals side who are as dangerous with the bat, if not more, than RCB.

Speaking of the Royals, they were a class apart as they systematically took apart the Sunrisers Hyderabad with some jaw-dropping batting audacity followed by some fired-up pace bowling in the powerplay that broke the back of the Sunrisers batting order.

It was once again the Vaibhav Sooryavanshi show as the teenager took his already phenomenal batting talent to stratospheric levels as he singlehandedly decimated the SRH bowling with an audacious 29-ball-97. He was just one shot away from breaking Chris Gayle’s record of the fastest IPL century, and his dismissal triggered stunned silence in the ground. 

The likes of Dhruv Jurel and Riyan Parag then blazed a couple of fine cameos and took the score to a formidable 240+. It was then that their bowling took centre stage as Jofra Archer went about tormenting the Sunrisers batting with his searing pace and disconcerting bounce, as he accounted for Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, and Ishan Kishan to end the Sunrisers run-chase before it even took off. He was ably supported by Nandre Burger as they went about their business with effectiveness and efficiency.

Gujarat Titans are wounded. Rajasthan Royals are fully brimming with confidence and are entering this game with a thumping win. We believe that Rajasthan Royals will be the favourites entering this game and will go on to play the Final against RCB.

Fantasy 11: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi ( c ), Shubman Gill, B Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Rashid Khan, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj.

Venue: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, New Chandigarh 

Winners Prediction: Rajasthan Royals