On April 19, 2025, Gujarat Titans (GT) stormed to the top of the IPL 2025 points table with a stunning 7-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals (DC) in Match 35 at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. DC posted a formidable 203/8, fueled by Axar Patel’s 43 off 29 and Tristan Stubbs’s 31 off 21, but GT’s bowlers, led by Prasidh Krishna’s 4/30, kept them in check. Chasing 204, GT rode Jos Buttler’s unbeaten 97 off 54 and a 119-run stand with Sherfane Rutherford (43 off 34) to seal the chase in 19.2 overs, with Rahul Tewatia’s 11* off 3 stealing the show. GT climbed to first with 10 points (5-2), while DC slipped to second (5-2). This high-scoring thriller had Ahmedabad buzzing—here’s how it unfolded!
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Toss and Lineups
GT captain Shubman Gill won the toss and opted to bowl, banking on the batting-friendly pitch and no dew in the afternoon heat. GT brought in Ishant Sharma for Mahipal Lomror, while DC replaced Jake Fraser-McGurk with Karun Nair.
DC XI: Abishek Porel, Karun Nair, KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel (c), Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Mukesh Kumar. Impact Sub: Faf du Plessis.
GT XI: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Arshad Khan, R Sai Kishore, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Ishant Sharma. Impact Sub: Sherfane Rutherford.
DC’s Innings: Axar and Stubbs Shine
DC started explosively—Abishek Porel’s 18 off 9, with two fours off Siraj, set the tone, reaching 50/1 in 3.5 overs. Karun Nair’s 28 off 17 and KL Rahul’s 29 off 16 kept the momentum, but Ishant Sharma’s 1/38 dismissed Porel, caught by Buttler, at 73/2 in 6 overs. Axar Patel’s 43 off 29 (4 fours, 1 six) and Tristan Stubbs’s 31 off 21 (3 fours, 1 six) powered DC to 146/3 by the 14-over strategic timeout. Prasidh Krishna’s 4/30, including Rahul and Stubbs in quick succession, sparked a collapse, with Ashutosh Sharma’s 37 off 19 (2 fours, 3 sixes) pushing DC to 203/8. Sai Kishore’s 2/34, dismissing Kuldeep Yadav (4 off 2), and tight death bowling (15 runs in last 2 overs) kept GT in the game. GT’s fielding faltered, with Prasidh dropping Nair early.
GT’s Chase: Buttler’s Masterclass
GT’s chase stumbled early—Shubman Gill (4 off 6) was run out in the 2nd over, leaving them at 15/1. Jos Buttler (15* off 6) and Sai Sudharsan (22 off 15) counterattacked, blasting 53/1 in 4.3 overs, with Buttler’s back-to-back sixes off Starc. Kuldeep Yadav’s 1/36 got Sudharsan, caught at long-on, at 85/2 in 7.4 overs. Buttler, battling cramps in 41°C heat, and Sherfane Rutherford’s 119-run stand turned the tide, with Buttler’s 5 consecutive boundaries off Starc in the 12th over. Rutherford’s 43 off 34 (1 four, 3 sixes) ended via Mukesh Kumar’s 1/29 in the 19th, leaving GT needing 10 off the last over. Tewatia’s 6 off Starc’s first ball and a 4 off an inside edge sealed it at 204/3 in 19.2 overs, with Buttler stranded on 97* (54 balls, 9 fours, 4 sixes).
Pitch and Conditions: Heat and Runs
Narendra Modi Stadium’s red-soil pitch, described as “rock hard” by Michael Clarke, was a batting paradise, with a 2025 first-innings average of 219. Pace and bounce aided strokeplay, but spin slowed in the middle overs. At 41°C with no dew, the afternoon heat tested players, with Ishant Sharma and Buttler cramping. All three 2025 games here were won batting first, making GT’s chase historic.
Standout Stars
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Jos Buttler (GT): 97* off 54 (9 fours, 4 sixes)—Player of the Match for his match-winning knock despite cramps.
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Sherfane Rutherford (GT): 43 off 34—key support in 119-run stand.
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Prasidh Krishna (GT): 4/30—broke DC’s momentum.
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Axar Patel (DC): 43 off 29—top-scored for DC.
Head-to-Head: GT Close Gap
DC lead GT 3-2 in five IPL clashes, but GT’s win narrows the gap. DC won both prior Ahmedabad games (2023: 5 runs, 2024: 6 wickets), but GT’s 204 chase is their highest vs DC. Shubman Gill’s 986 runs at this venue remain unmatched.
What’s Next?
GT (5-2) face Punjab Kings on April 21, aiming to stay atop. DC (5-2) take on Mumbai Indians on April 20, needing to regroup after Starc’s 0/49.
Match 35 was a run-fest—Buttler’s 97* and Tewatia’s clutch finish outshone DC’s fight. X buzzed with “Jos the Boss!” and “Starc roasted!”. A GT masterclass—what’s your moment? Share below!
