Tushar Deshpande (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals pulled off a thrilling win over Gujarat Titans in a high-scoring IPL 2026 clash that went down to the last ball. Chasing a big target of 211, Gujarat fought till the very end but it was not enough to give Rajasthan a narrow 6-run win in a nail-biting finish. With this victory, the Royals climbed to the top of the table. They have now picked up 4 points from 2 matches and have maintained an emphatic net run rate (NRR) of +2.233.The game stretched to the last over and Tushar Deshpande was given the responsibility to defend under immense pressure.
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‘Bowlers have it tough’ – Glenn Phillips breaks down modern T20 cricketHe held his nerve brilliantly. On the last delivery, Tushar Deshpande bowled Ashok Sharma and did not concede any runs. Rajasthan Royals won by 6 runs. Ashok Sharma went for a big shot on a low full toss aimed at the stumps but only managed an inside edge on his pad and the ball rolled away safely.Once the dot was confirmed, the Rajasthan players erupted in celebration and rushed towards Deshpande, who delivered when it mattered most. Captain Riyan Parag also earned praise for backing Deshpande over more experienced options at such a crunch time.
A strong total proved to be enough
Earlier in the Rajasthan Royals match, he put up an impressive 210/6 after being asked to bat first. Yashasvi Jaiswal gave them a solid start with a well-made 55, while Dhruv Jurel played a superb knockout 75 to pace the innings in the latter stages. Contributions from Shimron Hetmyer and others helped push the total over 200.Gujarat Titans showed great intent in response. Sai Sudharsan led the chase with a fluent 73 and there were useful cameos from Jose Buttler and Rashid Khan. However, regular wickets hurt their momentum, especially Ravi Bishnoi’s four-wicket haul that kept Rajasthan in the game.Despite late pressure from Kagiso Rabada and others, Gujarat could not finish the job as Rajasthan held their composure to seal a memorable and hard-fought victory.Quick Score:Rajasthan Royals: 210 for 6 in 20 overs (Dhruv Jurel 75, Yashasvi Jaiswal 55; Kagiso Rabada 2/42, Mohammed Siraj 1/48)Gujarat Titans: 204 for 8 in 20 overs (Sai Sudharsan 73, Jos Buttler 26; Ravi Bishnoi 4/41, Tushar Deshpande 1/24)
