DC vs GT, IPL 2025: Sudharsan, Gill annihilate Delhi as Titans storm into playoffs

Gujarat Titans crushed Delhi Capitals by 10 wickets in a record-breaking chase as Sai Sudharsan (108)* and Shubman Gill (93)* stitched together a flawless 205-run unbeaten opening stand, propelling GT into the IPL 2025 playoffs. In stark contrast, Delhi, haunted by inconsistency and key absences, now face an uphill climb in the final stretch of the tournament.

This was a night that belonged entirely to the GT openers. Chasing a challenging target of 200, Sudharsan and Gill showed immense composure early on before unleashing a clinical assault that left Delhi’s bowlers toothless. It was the third-highest opening stand in IPL history, and the second double-century partnership between the same pair.

Rahul Shines in Vain

Delhi’s innings began brightly as stand-in skipper KL Rahul anchored the side with a sublime 112 off 63 balls, guiding them to 199/4 on a sluggish pitch. It was a rare moment of batting brilliance in an otherwise inconsistent campaign.

However, with little support from the other end and another subpar effort in the field, Rahul’s century ultimately went in vain.

Openers Dominate

Gujarat’s chase was kickstarted by a blistering 43-run burst in the first three overs, immediately putting Delhi on the back foot. Sudharsan was the early aggressor, reaching his half-century in just 31 balls, while Gill played second fiddle with calculated restraint. The roles reversed after the Powerplay, with Gill feasting on Delhi’s spinners — a group that has never dismissed him in the IPL — to accelerate effortlessly.

As Delhi's attack faltered under pressure and with no breakthroughs in sight, Gill and Sudharsan maintained their tempo with intelligent rotation of strike and well-timed big hits. Sudharsan brought up his second century of the season, finishing unbeaten on 108 off 61 balls, while Gill’s polished 93 not out came off just 52 deliveries, striking 9 fours and 3 sixes.

Man of the Match

Sudharsan was awarded Player of the Match and he  reflected on lessons learned this season. “Earlier I used to go hard too early. This time we took the game deep,” he shared, adding that his confidence in playing long innings has improved, even if his technique hasn't changed drastically.

Playoff Equation

The result ensured Gujarat Titans’ third playoff appearance in four IPL seasons, and their win has also helped Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru inch closer to playoff qualification. Delhi, on the other hand, must now win their remaining fixtures and hope for other results to go their way. The pressure is mounting, especially with Mitchell Starc opting out and reinforcements like Mustafizur Rahman joining late.

Stat Highlights:

• Sai Sudharsan: 108* (61) – 2nd century of the season
• Shubman Gill: 93* (52) – career-best as captain this season
• KL Rahul: 112 (63) – 2nd ton of IPL 2025, lone standout for DC
• 205-run stand – 3rd highest opening partnership in IPL history
• GT win by 10 wickets – one of the most dominant chases of the season

What’s Next?

The Capitals’ next outing is a virtual knockout, while the Titans look to consolidate a top-two finish and maintain winning momentum ahead of the Qualifiers.