Ahmedabad, April 4 (NationPress) Stellar performances from wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal propelled the Rajasthan Royals to an impressive score of 210/6 in their 20 overs against the Gujarat Titans during the ninth match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday.

Choosing to bat after winning the toss, Rajasthan took advantage of the favorable batting conditions with a dynamic start from their opening partnership against the Titans, who were captained by Rashid Khan in the absence of regular skipper Shubman Gill, sidelined due to a muscle spasm.

Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi set a solid foundation early on, exploiting the loose deliveries from the Gujarat bowlers. Sooryavanshi began aggressively with a couple of boundaries off Mohammed Siraj, while Jaiswal capitalized on anything overpitched with his precise drives and pulls. The pair raced to 69 runs without loss in the powerplay, with Jaiswal’s attacking style complemented by Sooryavanshi’s creative shot-making.

The first breakthrough came in the seventh over when Rashid managed to induce a mis-hit pull from Sooryavanshi, who scored a brisk 31 runs off 18 balls. Despite losing a wicket, Jaiswal continued to guide the innings, reaching a composed half-century off 32 balls with a stylish boundary through extra cover.

Unfortunately for Rajasthan, Jaiswal’s innings ended shortly after when Kagiso Rabada bowled a sharp delivery that shattered his stumps, dismissing him for 55 runs off 36 balls. Rajasthan faced a temporary setback with quick wickets of Riyan Parag and Donovan Ferreira, but Jurel stepped up to maintain the momentum.

The right-hander initially focused on rotating the strike before unleashing a calculated assault as the innings progressed. He expertly maneuvered against spin and targeted the seamers with powerful shots, easily clearing the boundaries. Jurel notched up an impressive fifty in the 17th over and continued to dominate the final overs, including a massive six off Prasidh Krishna.

Additional contributions from the lower order helped Rajasthan surpass the 200-run mark. Shimron Hetmyer added a quickfire 18 runs off 8 balls before being caught spectacularly by Siraj, while Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with important runs in the closing stages. Jurel eventually fell in the last over to Siraj after a remarkable innings of 75 runs from 42 balls, which featured five fours and as many sixes.

For Gujarat, Rabada was the standout bowler with figures of 2/42, while Prasidh and Rashid each claimed a wicket. Siraj finished with 1/48 despite taking a wicket in the final over.

Brief scores:

Rajasthan Royals: 210/6 in 20 overs (Dhruv Jurel 75, Yashasvi Jaiswal 55; Kagiso Rabada 2-42, Ashok Sharma 1-37) against Gujarat Titans