Gujarat Titans beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 82 runs to claim the top spot in the IPL 2026 points table. Washington Sundar scored a fifty, while Kagiso Rabada's three-wicket haul earned him the 'Player of the Match' award for his sensational spell.
Gujarat Titans surged to the top of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 points table with a dominant 82-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad. Speaking on Star Sports 'Amul Cricket Live', Gujarat Titans all-rounder Washington Sundar reflected on the team's consistency, his partnership with Sai Sudharsan, and GT's title ambitions moving forward as the race to the playoffs heats up.
Sundar on GT's Winning Streak
Talking about GT's fifth consecutive victory of the season, Sundar said, "It means a lot. This season has been extremely competitive, with every team coming hard at us. To win five games on the trot speaks volumes about the consistency we've shown as a unit. At the same time, sticking to what has worked for us is also a challenge. You can sometimes lose rhythm by trying to do too many things, but I think we've done well to avoid that. A lot of credit has to go to the team for maintaining that clarity and consistency."
Key Contributions with the Bat
The 26-year-old all-rounder made 50 runs off 33 balls with the help of seven fours and a six, which helped GT post 168/5 on the board after putting to bat first in Ahmedabad. He was involved in a 60-run partnership for the fourth wicket with opener Sai Sudharsan (61 off 44 balls).
On his partnership with Sudharsan, he said, "It's always enjoyable batting with Sai because we constantly communicate in the middle. It was important for me to understand both the situation and the nature of the wicket, especially since it was doing a bit more than usual. Early on, I wasn't finding boundaries, while Sai was able to get them without taking many risks. That balance really helped both of us and allowed the partnership to settle in nicely."
Dominant Bowling Dismantles SRH
While defending the 168-run total, GT's Mohammed Siraj (1/11 in three overs) started strong by removing Travis Head for a duck. Kagiso Rabada (3/28 in four overs) dismantled the top-order consisting of Abhishek Sharma (6), Ishan Kishan (11) and Smaran Ravichandran (9), reducing SRH to 32/4 in 5.5 overs. Later, it was Jason Holder (3/20 in four overs) and Prasidh Krishna (2/23 in three overs) who skittled out SRH for just 86 runs, with SRH skipper Cummins (19) being the top scorer. Rabada was adjudged the 'Player of the Match' for his sensational powerplay spell.
'Long Way to Go': Sundar on Title Hopes
On GT's overall approach and focus going forward, Sundar said, "It's extremely important for us to stay present and understand what has worked well for us so far. We've been playing some really good cricket, but there's still a long way to go in the tournament. Hopefully, we can continue this momentum and eventually go on to win the championship."
With eight wins and four losses, GT stays at the top of the table with 16 points, and SRH has slid down to third with seven wins and five losses, with 14 points. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)