DC vs GT Highlights, IPL 2025: Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan power Gujarat Titans to 10-wicket win, secure IPL playoff berth

The mentor of Delhi Capitals, KEVIN PIETERSEN, is up for a chat with the broadcasters. Admits that it is tough work sitting in the dugout, watching those players. Analyzes that DC were really quick off the straps in this game, after a really wobbly couple of weeks. Feels that the break might have done his team some good. Praises the batters for batting beautifully. On the move to send KL Rahul to open, Pietersen says that Rahul expressed his desire to bat at the top of the order and adds that when he is at his best, he is very good to watch. Details that when you see players of that quality practice in the nets and then come out and put on a show in the game, it is a privilege. But is quick to add that it is just half the job done. On the bowling, KP says that DC have got Mustafizur Rahman, who flew in just this morning and also T Natarajan. Sweeps the grass near his feet and says that there is no dew and hopes that DC's spinners do the job. On the target after 10 overs, KP says that they did not talk much about it, though they did think about it. Stresses that it was about getting a good start in the Powerplay and then maximizing it. Ends by saying that if someone had told him that DC will get 200 at the start of the match, he would have taken it.

Critically speaking, Gujarat Titans will be a tad disappointed with this bowling effort. They were excellent with the new ball, conceding just 28 runs in the first 5 overs but struggled in the middle overs. They went for 91 runs from over 7-15 and a further 63 in the last 5 overs. The spinners surprisingly, went for a tour around the park while the seamers could not quite control the run flow despite the early rhythm.

The scorecard says that KL Rahul scored nearly 55 percent of the team's total. And he faced most of the difficult balls too. Gujarat Titans were phenomenal in the Powerplay, which saw them getting the wicket of Faf du Plessis early. But Rahul saw that difficult period off and then put the foot down, targetting Kagiso Rabada in the final over of the Powerplay. He went from strength to strength but in the middle, GT started to starve Rahul off strike. Maybe, that's what cut off 15-20 runs off the total. Rahul managed decent partnerships with everyone post the first wicket, with Abishek Porel, Axar Patel and Tristan Stubbs pitching in with good cameos.

A very good score. But is it a par score? At the pitch report, Matthew Hayden informed us that the average first innings score in the last 10 innings in T20s at this venue was 216. And at one stage, it did seem like DC would get something close to that total. Somehow, they have stopped short of 200, but still, 199 is a daunting total.

Mohammed Siraj to KL Rahul, An anticlimactic dot ball! KL Rahul backed away to the leg side but did it too early. Siraj smartly bowled it wide outside off, but well inside the wide guideline. The ball was way out of Rahul's reach and he could not even try to reach that! Smiles everywhere but hang on. Rahul wants to check for the wide and reviews it. But technology shows it to be a fair delivery and DELHI CAPITALS FINISH ON 199/3!

Right then. The man who played the first ball of the match, is ready to face the last ball of the innings.

Mohammed Siraj to Tristan Stubbs, Fuller, around off, heaved towards long on for a run.

Mohammed Siraj to Tristan Stubbs, SIX! AUDACIOUS! Siraj goes short and Stubbs goes long. Good bounce for Siraj but Tristan is up for it. Rises with the bounce and pulls it ferociously over mid-wicket! 

Mohammed Siraj to KL Rahul, A length ball, on the pads, KL whips it uppishly but it goes almost straight to Rahul Tewatia at deep mid-wicket. Lands in front and the batters take a single.

Mohammed Siraj to KL Rahul, FOUR MORE! Fractionally overpitched, outside off, Rahul backs away to the leg side and hammers it through the covers! Siraj under immense pressure now. Rahul moves to 111 (63). The stand moves to 40 (18).

Mohammed Siraj to KL Rahul, FOUR! How has that reached the fence? Very full, around off, almost a yorker, KL Rahul shapes up for the reverse sweep. But while he misses it, the ball seems to have taken the back of the bat and race away to the fine leg fence! Siraj cannot believe it and wants it reviewed for LBW by his captain. Shubman Gill obliges and the third umpire does not even need an UltraEdge. The first replay shows that the ball took the inside edge and went to the fine leg fence.

Mohammed Siraj will bowl the final over. 3-0-21-0 so far.

Prasidh Krishna to Tristan Stubbs, Another yorker, on middle and leg, somehow, Tristan Stubbs gets that away through mid-wicket. Not only that, he gets two runs for his effort as well. 14 from the over, Prasidh Krishna ends his evening with the ball, with figures of 4-0-40-1.

Prasidh Krishna to KL Rahul, Yorker, around middle and leg, jabbed down to long off for a single.

Prasidh Krishna to KL Rahul, FOUR! HUNDRED FOR KL RAHUL! His 5th in the IPL and it has come off just 60 balls! The crowd is on its feet. A length ball, around off, KL Rahul pulls it over mid-wicket with aplomb. The DC dugout loves it but Rahul keeps the celebrations pretty muted. He is eyeing the team score now. Above 200. 5th centurion this season, after Abhishek, Kishan, Arya and Sooryavanshi.

Prasidh Krishna to KL Rahul, Down the leg side, Rahul looks to flick it away but misses. No wide signalled. Must have clipped the pad.

Prasidh Krishna to KL Rahul, SIX! ADMONISHED! Moves to 98! A length ball, outside off, KL Rahul watches the ball till the last moment, stays still like a hawk and at the last possible moment, moves his body away from the line and swings the ball through the line - all the way over the sightscreen! That's his 4th six of the night.

Prasidh Krishna to Tristan Stubbs, Full and wide outside off, Tristan Stubbs backs away and has to readjust. Reaches out and carves it through point for a single.

Stubbs has an impressive record at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, averaging over 50 and striking at 192 in the IPL.

Sai Kishore to Tristan Stubbs, Short, outside off, Tristan looks to pull again but this time, gets an under edge which goes past the keeper. Good stop by Sherfane Rutherford from short fine leg, stopping the boundary. Keeps the batters to a single. 11 from the over, Sai Kishore finishes his bowling stint with figures of 4-0-47-1.

Sai Kishore to Tristan Stubbs, SIX! WHOOSH! That's brute power. Fractionally short, around off, Tristan Stubbs rocks back and pulls it flat, clearing the mid-wicket ropes with ease!

Sai Kishore to KL Rahul, The arm ball now, 96 kph, sliding into the pads, Rahul backs away to the leg side and forces it through cover-point for another single.

Sai Kishore to Tristan Stubbs, Slower ball, short in length, outside off, 85.8 kph, Stubbs reaches out and mistimes his punch through mid off for one more.

Sai Kishore to KL Rahul, Jumps down the track and Kishore drops it short. Outside off, KL Rahul adjusts well and slaps it through the covers for a run.

Sai Kishore to Tristan Stubbs, Full, around middle and off, Tristan Stubbs leans and drives it towards long off for a single.

Stubbs has been DC's go-to man at the death, with a strike rate of 206 - the best in Death Overs (16-20) in IPL 2025.

Prasidh Krishna to Tristan Stubbs, On middle and leg, helped through mid-wicket for a run. 7 runs and a wicket from the over, Prasidh Krishna's bowling figures read 3-0-26-1.

Prasidh Krishna to KL Rahul, Lucky to get away with that. A full toss, on the pads, Rahul cannot clip it away. The ball goes off his pads towards square leg and a leg bye is taken.

Prasidh Krishna to KL Rahul, FOUR! Fine leg is up and the ball is on the pads. Merry Christmas. The pace was off but Rahul was ready, clipping it to the left of short fine leg.

Prasidh Krishna to Tristan Stubbs, On middle and leg, helped to long leg for a single to get off the mark.

Tristan Stubbs walks in next at number 5, replacing his skipper, Axar Patel.

Prasidh Krishna to Axar Patel, OUT! CAUGHT! Straight to the man! The Purple Cap holder adds one more to his kitty. 21st wicket for Prasidh Krishna this season. One of those cases where a good shot actually results in a wicket. From the round-the-wicket angle, Krishna was looking to cramp the left-hander for room. So Axar Patel tried to manufacture room for himself, by getting way outside the leg stump. Prasidh banged it in short, around off and got it to come back in. Axar was ready for it and tried to use the pace on the ball, to guide it over the fence at deep third. But unfortunately for him, it went straight to Sai Kishore stationed there who took a sharp catch. The 45-run stand is broken and Axar departs for 25 (16). Delhi Capitals are 151/3 after 16.2 overs.

Prasidh Krishna to Axar Patel, A short ball, outside off, 135.9 kph, Axar Patel goes for the pull but is not able to judge the pace of the ball. Gets a bottom edge which goes on the bounce, past the stumps, to the keeper.

This season Sai Kishore has been bowling really well as compared to his performances in past seasons combined together in the IPL. He has 14 wickets this year alone, as compared to 13 combined from 2022 to 2024. Prasidh Krishna returns. 2-0-20-0 so far.

Sai Kishore to Axar Patel, Short and quick, 96.5 kph, on middle, AP gets across and pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a run. 15 from the over, Sai Kishore's bowling figures read 3-0-36-1.

Sai Kishore to Axar Patel, SIX! No toe this time, just the middle! Flighted, outside off, 88.3 kph, Axar Patel gets a good stride, uses his height and reach and hits it straight back, clearing long off with ease! The stand moves to 44 (23).

Sai Kishore to Axar Patel, Short, around middle and leg, 103.8 kph, Axar gets across and heaves it uppishly through mid-wicket. Gets it from the toe of the bat and because of that, the ball does not carry to the fielders. Two runs taken.

Sai Kishore to Axar Patel, Much better from the bowler, fuller and at the pads, Patel cannot get room to swing and gets a couple through mid-wicket.

Sai Kishore to Axar Patel, Similar ball, lack of pace this time, Axar tries to swing again, but connects with thin air.

Sai Kishore to Axar Patel, FOUR! WHAM! Full, wide outside off, Axar Patel uses his long reach and clubs it straight back over the bowler for a boundary.

STRATEGIC TIME OUT. 5 overs left and 200 is pretty much still on the cards. One person from the top 3 batting deep has made the scorecard look so much better for Delhi Capitals and now, they can really exercise their strong middle order, which does not have to play itself in for a change, and can make use of the platform set. From GT's point of view, they will be looking only at KL Rahul's wicket and will believe that if they can dislodge him, they can still curtail the other batters. Gill would hope for a good finish at the death. Meanwhile, when he scored his 10th four, KL Rahul hit his 500th four in T20 cricket in India.

Rashid Khan to Axar Patel, Outside off, slapped towards long off for a run. 10 from the over and Rashid Khan finishes off with figures of 4-0-32-0.

Rashid Khan to Axar Patel, FOUR! Finally he gets that shot away! He has been trying that slog for the past two overs. Gets this one on his pads and Axar helps it through fine leg.

Rashid Khan to Axar Patel, SLICE OF LUCK! The googly, way outside the off stump, Axar goes hard for the punch but mistimes it high in the air. Mohammed Siraj charges in from wide long off but the ball lands well in front of his despairing dive. Two runs taken.

Rashid Khan to KL Rahul, Outside off, KL Rahul pushes it through point for a run. Seems like Rahul is happy playing out Rashid, as this is his last over.

Rashid Khan to Axar Patel, Full, on middle and leg, Axar Patel swings again, only to mistime it through square leg for a run.

Rashid Khan to KL Rahul, A short ball, outside off, cut through point for a single.

In the previous game, it was the first time in seven games that Sai Kishore bowled his full quota of four overs. In the previous five games where he bowled all four overs, he picked up at least two wickets in four of those.