HIGHLIGHTS Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings IPL 2026 Match 66 - Result, Scorecard

We are back for the chase! Positive signs for CSK as Sanju Samson is padded up and ready to open the innings after suffering a finger injury very early in the game. Matthew Short will be his partner and not Ruturaj Gaikwad. Gujarat Titans bring in Prasidh Krishna as the Impact Sub, replacing Rahul Tewatia. It will be Mohammed Siraj to start proceedings with the ball. Here we go...

... THE RUN CHASE ...

CSK left searching for answers - Not much went right for CSK with the ball as they struggled to create pressure or force mistakes early on. They did manage to find Gill's edge once, but with no appeal from the fielders, the chance went begging. Gurjapneet Singh was the pick of the bowlers with a tidy spell, while Mukesh Choudhary and Anshul Kamboj chipped in with a wicket each. Noor Ahmad, however, had an off day and CSK looked out of sorts for most of the innings. They now face a massive task in the chase if they are to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Join us in a bit for the second essay.

A quick chat with Sai Sudharsan - He dons the Orange Cap after his fabulous knock of 84. On his knock tonight, Sai Sudharsan says the way Shubman Gill played was outstanding and feels that had he been at his best early on, they could have scored 10 to 15 more runs. He admits he was not firing on all cylinders early in his innings. On their approach at the top of the order, he says they do not look at individual scores and play accordingly. He reiterates that he was not firing but points out that they were running at 10 runs per over at the end of the Powerplay. He explains that they play as a partnership, and that is what allows them to take the right chances and play freely. On scoring five consecutive fifty-plus scores in the IPL, he says it feels really awesome to be in that company. But he is quick to redirect, saying the priority right now is winning the game. He signs off with gratitude, saying he is thankful to God for the opportunity.

Gujarat batters run riot - Gujarat Titans got off to a flying start with their classy opening pair taking complete control early on. They cashed in on every loose delivery and kept the runs flowing freely. Shubman Gill raced away to a blistering fifty off just 23 balls, with the opening stand worth 125 runs. Sai Sudharsan carried on the charge alongside Buttler and played a brilliant knock of 84 from 53 deliveries before falling. Buttler then took over in the closing stages, finishing unbeaten with a fiery 57 off just 27 balls.

Titans turn on the heat - A powerful batting display from the Titans, and they have put a massive total on the board. They were right on top from the start, and despite CSK's late attempt to pull things back, it is the hosts who will be the happier side at the halfway mark.

Mukesh Choudhary to Washington Sundar, OUT! EDGED AND CAUGHT! A consolation wicket for Choudhary and CSK. Full and wide by Mukesh, outside the off stump. Washington Sundar throws his bat away to hit it through the covers, but only manages to get a faint outside edge behind to the keeper. Urvil Patel with a straightforward catch. 13 runs from the final over and GT finish strongly at 229/4.

Mukesh Choudhary to Jos Buttler, Keeps it outside the off stump, does Mukesh, on a fuller length. Jos Buttler lofts it on the bounce to deep cover for a single. Had to reach out for it.

Mukesh Choudhary to Washington Sundar, Yorker outside off, Sundar tries to squeeze it out but gets an inside edge and the ball squirts it past the stumps for a single at short fine leg.

Mukesh Choudhary to Washington Sundar, SIX! Some shot by Sundar! Full ball outside off from around the wicket, 136.6 kph. Sundar stays deep in his crease and bends low by reaching out for it. He generates just enough power to slice it over and clear the small boundary at deep third.

Mukesh Choudhary to Jos Buttler, Low full outside off, Buttler carves it away to deep point for just a single.

Mukesh Choudhary to Jos Buttler, FOUR! Buttler at his very best! Mukesh serves it full and around off. Jos Buttler sees mid on in the circle and hammers it over the fielder for a boundary. Didn't quite get the connection from the middle, but he just had to clear the in-field and he did so nicely.

Last over coming up. It will be Mukesh Choudhary to bowl it.

Anshul Kamboj to Jos Buttler, Full and around leg, Jos Buttler misses his flick as the ball goes off his pads towards square leg. A leg bye is taken. There is also an appeal for LBW, but not given. CSK takes a review. However, Ball Tracking shows that the ball is pitching outside leg.

Anshul Kamboj to Jos Buttler, FOUR! FIFTY FOR JOS BUTTLER! Off just 23 balls to get to his 28th IPL half century. Buttler reads the bowler's plan well and sets himself into a good position. Kamboj again feeds it miles outside off for a yorker, and Buttler just thumps over the leaping extra cover fielder for a boundary to get to his milestone.

Anshul Kamboj to Jos Buttler, FOUR! Buttler unleashing his skills! Pushes outside off for a yorker, but Buttler gets under the ball nicely and crashes it over the cover fielder and beats the long off man to his left for a boundary.

Two wickets in two balls for CSK. Washington Sundar comes out to the middle now.

Anshul Kamboj to Rahul Tewatia, OUT! TEWATIA IS RUN OUT! Excellent piece of fielding by the CSK skipper. Well-executed yorker from Kamboj, outside off. Rahul drills it down to long off and calls for a single. The ball bullets away to Gaikwad who is quick to pick and releases a direct hit to the bowling end with Tewatia forced to slide his bat in. The CSK players are confident and start celebrating. The replay shows that Tewatia is caught just short of his crease. He comes and goes.

Is that a run out? CSK players look very confident and the replay shows that Rahul Tewatia is well short of his crease.

The next batter in is Rahul Tewatia.

Anshul Kamboj to Sai Sudharsan, OUT! CAUGHT EASILY! Something for Kamboj to celebrate in an otherwise expensive outing. Anshul bowls it very full and outside the off stump. Sai crouches his back knee a bit and tries to thump it down the ground, but fails to get under the ball. Hits it off the toe end of the bat and sails it straight into the hands of Dewald Brevis at long off. Brevis takes it comfortably with a reverse cup in front of his face. Sai Sudharsan's fun ends on a well-compiled 84. GT are 207/2, 10 balls left.

Anshul Kamboj to Sai Sudharsan, SIX! Goodness me, he has got the distance and how! Kamboj keeps feeding miles outside off and it is the full toss as well. Sai stays deep in the crease, and slices it well over the deep point fence for a six. Wonderful execution from Sudharsan. Not so great bowling from Kamboj.

Who bowls the 19th? It will be Anshul Kamboj. Also, CSK have been handed a penalty for Slow Over Rate. They can only have four fielders outside the circle for the last couple of overs.

Gurjapneet Singh to Jos Buttler, FOUR! PUNISHED! Gurjapneet goes short by taking the pace off, outside off. Jos Buttler has to wait for months for the ball to arrive. Shuffles in the crease by going outside off and swats it powerfully into the long on and deep mid-wicket gap for a cracking four. Gurjapneet Singh goes for 15 in his final over and ends his spell with 4-0-31-0. 200 UP FOR THE TITANS!

Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, Nice comeback. Yorker outside off, Sai carves it through mid off for a single.

Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, SIX! Dismissed out of his presence! A real loosener from Singh. Full toss dipping below the waist, on off. Sai Sudharsan goes deep in the crease and heaves it behind deep mid-wicket for a six.

Gurjapneet Singh to Jos Buttler, Good deceptive slower bouncer at just 100.5 kph. Short and outside off. Buttler moves outside off and tries to fetch that for a pull shot, but inside edges it to the square leg region for a single. So far, so good by Gurjapneet.

Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, Runs from around the stump and slants it across the batter, too full. Sai spreads across the crease and paddles it to deep mid-wicket for a run.

Gurjapneet Singh to Jos Buttler, Wide full toss, dipping on the batter, outside off. Jos Buttler slices it to deep backward point for a single.

Gurjapneet Singh to Jos Buttler, WIDE! Again, trying for the wide yorker plan, but it goes all wrong for Singh. He misses his radar and bowls it well outside the tramline. Buttler ignores.

Gurjapneet Singh is back on.

Spencer Johnson to Jos Buttler, Gets away with it, does Johnson. Darts in a yorker, outside off. Jos Buttler fails to get under it and gets a thick bottom edge. The ball rolls to long off for one only. 13 runs off the over. 4-0-47-1 for Spencer tonight.

Spencer Johnson to Sai Sudharsan, Around the stump, full and outside off. Sudharsan carves it along the turf to long off for one more. And goodness me, that's an enormous No Ball from Spencer as he oversteps. Free Hit coming up...

Spencer Johnson to Jos Buttler, Another yorker by Spencer, around off. Buttler shuffles in the crease and is cramped up for space, but still he manages to knock it away to long off for a run.

Spencer Johnson to Sai Sudharsan, Changes the angle of attack by going around the stump. Bowls a perfect yorker outside off. Sai drops his bat down by opening the face and guides it to deep third for a single.

Spencer Johnson to Jos Buttler, A low full toss, outside off again. Jos Buttler smashes it down to long off for a single.

Spencer Johnson to Jos Buttler, Another wide yorker, but this time it is well within the tramline. Jos fails to dig it out and is beaten on the outside edge.

Spencer Johnson to Jos Buttler, WIDE! Tries to bowl away from the hitting zone, but fires it a bit too wide, outside the tramline. Jos Buttler tries to squeeze it out but misses. Wide called.

Spencer Johnson to Jos Buttler, SIX! Creamed into the stands! Pushed outside off, on a fuller length. Enough room for Jos to free his arms. Gets under the ball and pumps it over long off for half a dozen runs. Absolutely fantastic from the Englishman.

Anshul Kamboj to Sai Sudharsan, Fair delivery! Keeps it away from the hitting arc of the batter, wide outside off, almost a yorker. Sai bends and reaches out for it, trying to carve it over point, but misses. It is not called a wide and Sudharsan sends it upstairs for a review. The replay shows that the wide guideline remains as it, as Sai hasn't moved across at the point of release. The ball stays within the line. GT lose the review.

Anshul Kamboj to Sai Sudharsan, SIX! This is just effortless batting! A half volley, outside off. Sai Sudharsan hits it through the line, but despite the bat twisting at the point of contact, he manages to sail it over the long off fielder for a six. Just for a brief moment, Matthew Short looks in the game, but watches it fly well over.

Anshul Kamboj to Jos Buttler, Goes for the wide yorker to the right-hander, outside off. Jos Buttler extends his arms and takes it on the full, hitting it uppishly, but to the left of cover for a single.

Anshul Kamboj to Sai Sudharsan, Wide full toss, outside off, Sudharsan drills it on a couple of bounces to long off for a single.

Anshul Kamboj to Sai Sudharsan, WIDE! Far outside off, breaching the tramline, Sai leaves it alone.

Anshul Kamboj to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Muscled away! Short of a good length from over the stump. This is wide outside off and Sai dines on it. Hits it over the extra cover fielder for a cracking boundary.

Anshul Kamboj to Jos Buttler, From around the stump, Anshul bowls a wide yorker outside off. Jos reaches out for it, takes it on the full but only manages an inside edge. The ball squirts past the stumps to the leg side for a single.

Righto, last 5 overs to go. Anshul Kamboj (2-0-28-0) returns into the attack.

Mukesh Choudhary to Sai Sudharsan, Nails the yorker, on off, Sai Sudharsan jams it out back to the bowler.

Mukesh Choudhary to Jos Buttler, Low full toss, around off, Jos Buttler forces it towards extra cover for one.

Mukesh Choudhary to Jos Buttler, Much fuller and outside off, Jos Buttler drills it hard but straight to extra cover.

Mukesh Choudhary to Jos Buttler, SIX! One hand off the bat? Does not matter for Jos Buttler! Back of a length and just around off. Buttler just has to reach for it to pull and loses his bottom hand. Still generates enough power to send it over the deep square leg fence for a biggie.

Mukesh Choudhary to Sai Sudharsan, Short of a length and on off, Sai Sudharsan swats it down to long on or a single.

Mukesh Choudhary to Sai Sudharsan, Mukesh Choudhary sees the batter move across and serves it in the blockhole, outside off. Sai Sudharsan looks for the scoop but gets tangled up as the ball goes off the bottom edge onto his pads.

STRATEGIC BREAK! GT going at great guns, and why not? They have 9 wickets in hand and are en route to a strong finish with the likes of Sudharsan and Buttler settling in well. They did lose Gill, but the foundation is very strong for the others to feast on. Barring Gurjapneet Singh, who has bowled an excellent spell so far, it has been a tormenting evening for the CSK bowlers overall. They need wickets quickly to prevent a score above 220 or more. Mukesh Choudhary (2-0-15-0) is back on after the break. He replaces Spencer Johnson.

Noor Ahmad to Jos Buttler, SIX! Effortless! Flighted, full and on middle, in the slot as well. Jos Buttler is not going to miss out as he gets under it and launches it over the wide long on fence for half a dozen more. 22 runs off the over. This brings up the 150 for GT.

Noor Ahmad to Sai Sudharsan, Two wides! Flatter, full but down the leg side, Sai Sudharsan goes down to paddle it away but misses. The keeper also fails to collect it cleanly. A wide given and a bye taken.

Noor Ahmad to Jos Buttler, Slows it up, shortish and on leg, Jos Buttler tucks it to the vacant mid on region for a run.

Noor Ahmad to Jos Buttler, Drops it short and on middle, Jos Buttler nudges it towards deep mid-wicket for a brace.

Noor Ahmad to Jos Buttler, SIX! Up, up and away! Fighted, full and on middle, turns in, Jos Buttler clears his front leg and smokes it with spin over the cow corner fence for a biggie.

Noor Ahmad to Sai Sudharsan, Goes short and around off, Sai Sudharsan swats it wide of long on for a single.

Noor Ahmad to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Excellent shot! Tossed up, full and on off, Sai Sudharsan gets right underneath it and thumps it over the bowler's head for a boundary.

Nice little phase for CSK. They have managed to bowl a few quiet overs, with only 18 runs having come in the last 3 overs.

Spencer Johnson to Jos Buttler, On a length and on off, Jos Buttler pushes it to extra cover.

Spencer Johnson to Jos Buttler, Fuller one and outside off, takes pace off, Jos Buttler slashes at it but fails to connect.

Spencer Johnson to Jos Buttler, Pitched up and on off, Jos Buttler drives it to mid off.

Spencer Johnson to Jos Buttler, FOUR! Easy pickings! Good length but down the leg side, Jos Buttler just tickles it away to the fine leg fence for a boundary.

Finally, a wicket for the Super Kings as they manage to separate the GT openers. The groundwork has been laid nicely, though, for a strong finish. Jos Buttler walks in at number 3.

Spencer Johnson to Shubman Gill, OUT! TAKEN! Spencer Johnson gets the breakthrough CSK were desperate for here. This is pitched full and on middle and leg, Shubman Gill looks to loft it down the ground, but goes through the shot a bit early as the ball stops on him. It takes the leading edge of the bat and goes high in the air behind mid-wicket. Shivam Dube backpedals a long way, keeps his eyes on the ball and takes a fine catch tumbling backwards. End of a massive 125-run opening stand.

Spencer Johnson to Sai Sudharsan, Follows the batter, full and around leg, Sai Sudharsan backs away but gets cramped up to flick as the ball goes off his pads towards backward point. A leg bye taken.

Change? Yup. Spencer Johnson (2-0-30-0) is brought back on. He replaces Gurjapneet Singh.

Noor Ahmad to Sai Sudharsan, Short again and outside off, Sai Sudharsan punches it through cover-point for one more.

Noor Ahmad to Shubman Gill, Dragged back and around off, Shubman Gill heaves it to deep mid-wicket for one.

Noor Ahmad to Shubman Gill, Fires this one full and on leg, Shubman Gill fails to flick it away and gets hit on the pads.

Noor Ahmad to Shubman Gill, Pushed through quicker, short and around off, Shubman Gill changes his stance for the reverse sweep but does not get a clean connection. The ball hits the gloves and rolls to the left of the keeper.

Noor Ahmad to Shubman Gill, Short and on middle, Shubman Gill nudges it to mid-wicket. Sai wants the run but is sent back and has to put in a dive.

Noor Ahmad to Sai Sudharsan, FIFTY FOR SUDHARSAN! He has made batting look easy this season, as this is his fifth consecutive half-century. He joins an elite list of Virender Sehwag, David Warner, and Jos Buttler for the most consecutive 50-plus scores in the history of IPL. This is floated, shortish and on middle, Sai Sudharsan works it towards short fine for a single. Just a raise of the bat towards the dugout to acknowledge the appreciation.

Noor Ahmad (1-0-16-0) is back on. He replaces Shivam Dube.

Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, Bangs this into the pitch, outside off, Sai Sudharsan cuts it away to deep point for one more. Just 10 from the over. Gurjapneet Singh's bowling figures read 3-0-16-0.

Despite three wides, it's been a fine over from Singh so far.

Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, WIDE! Loses his radar completely, spills it full but way down the leg side, Sai Sudharsan is nowhere near the ball. Third wide of the over.

Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, Pace off, full and on off, Sai Sudharsan gets across and tucks it with soft hands towards the mid-wicket region and comes back for the second run.

Gurjapneet Singh to Shubman Gill, Hard-length delivery, on off, Shubman Gill punches it towards extra cover for a run.

Gurjapneet Singh to Shubman Gill, Short of a length and around off, angling across the batter, pace on, Shubman Gill misses out on his pull shot.

Gurjapneet Singh to Shubman Gill, WIDE! Again! Slower and fuller, well outside off again, Shubman Gill throws his bat at it but fails to reach out. Called wide.

Gurjapneet Singh to Shubman Gill, WIDE! Fuller one but way outside off, Shubman Gill leaves it alone.

Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, Back of a length and angling into the leg side, Sai Sudharsan heaves it off the inner half of the bat through square leg for a single.

Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, A loopy delivery, outside off, Sai Sudharsan comes down the track, reaches out to take it on the fll and drills it to sweeper cover for a brace.

Shivam Dube to Shubman Gill, FOUR! Runs coming easily for the Titans. Dube rolls his fingers on the ball and takes pace off. Short on middle. Shubman Gill brings his wrists into play. Gets across and pulls it over backward square leg for a boundary. 15 runs off the over. At halfway, GT are motoring comfortably at 111/0.

Shivam Dube to Shubman Gill, FOUR! Expertly played! On a back of a length, outside off. Shubman Gill steps out of the crease by staying leg side. Hops on the toes to ride the bounce and square cuts it to the right of the diving Sarfaraz Khan at short third for a boundary.

Shivam Dube to Shubman Gill, Acrobatic stuff from Brevis. Off cutter, dug in short and on top of off. Shubman Gill waits on it and controls the pull shot along the ground to the right of deep mid-wicket. Dewald Brevis covers a lot of ground to his right and dives to cut that off. Two taken.

Shivam Dube to Sai Sudharsan, Pushed outside off, on a fullish length. Sai Sudharsan slaps it to deep point for a single.

Shivam Dube to Sai Sudharsan, Good length, outside off, Sai gets on the toes and cuts it straight to backward point.

Shivam Dube to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Creamed away to the fence! Dube bowls a length ball, outside off. Sai Sudharsan gives the bowler the charge and hits it through the meat of the bat, punching it into the cover gap for a boundary. 100 UP FOR GUJARAT TITANS!

Anshul Kamboj to Sai Sudharsan, Hard length, outside off, Sai Sudharsan gets on top of the bounce by striding ahead and knocks it all along the ground, to the left of deep point for a single.

Anshul Kamboj to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Untidy from Gurjapneet Singh! Short delivery angling away outside off, Sudharsan slashes it aerially behind square on the off side. Gurjapneet moves to his left from deep third, gets to the ball but misfields as the turn after the second bounce deceives him. Four runs.

Anshul Kamboj to Sai Sudharsan, Overthrows! Really sloppy by CSK. Length ball, angling outside off, Sai hops back and crunches it to deep point for a single. The fielder throws it on the bounce to the keeper, but it bounces over the keeper and rolls into the leg side and the batters get the opportunity to hustle back for the second.

Anshul Kamboj to Sai Sudharsan, SIX! Sails just over the fielder! Kamboj keeps it short and on top of middle and leg. Sai Sudharsan weighs on the back foot and pulls it just over the deep backward square leg fielder for half a dozen more. These two are just enjoying out there in the middle.

Anshul Kamboj to Shubman Gill, Pushed fuller and on the leg stump. Shubman Gill gets inside the line to help it finer on the leg side, but gets a bit of a leading edge and it rolls away to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Anshul Kamboj to Sai Sudharsan, Short and outside off, at 133.3 kph, Sai Sudharsan climbs on it by hopping on the toes and square cuts it neatly to deep backward point for an easy run.

Strategic Break! The Gujarat Titans openers are flying once again, with Shubman Gill notching up a sublime fifty while Sai Sudharsan is playing second fiddle so far. They have built the platform for a massive total on the board and things are looking threatening for the visitors. Chennai Super Kings haven't troubled the batters at all, but they will hope that they can pull things back in the middle overs and get rid of the GT top three quickly to put pressure on the middle order, which have not made much impact this season. It will be Anshul Kamboj to bowl after the break.

Gurjapneet Singh to Shubman Gill, BEATEN! Singh keeps it short and slants it across the right-hander, generating decent bounce as well. Shubman Gill prepares to play the short-arm jab across the line, but is beaten comprehensively with the ball leaving him. Just 3 runs from Gurjapneet's first. Well, well! UltraEdge, after the Strategic Break, shows a spike when the ball is next to the bat. No one really appealed, with Urvil Patel also not being sure whether he heard something or not. A big opportunity lost for CSK as Gill is batting like a dream.

Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, Short of a length, on top of middle, angling in. Sai Sudharsan backs away and knocks it through the cover and backward point for a single. It's been a fine over from Gurjapneet Singh so far. Can he close it out nicely?

Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, Hard length, around off on a tight line. Sudharsan opens the bat face and taps it to backward point.

Gurjapneet Singh to Shubman Gill, At pace now, 135.3 kph. This is bashed hard into the surface, angling across the batter, on off. Gill advances and tries to whack it over the off side, but inside edges past the stumps and gets a single at widish square leg.

Gurjapneet Singh to Shubman Gill, A slower one by Singh, on a back of a length, on off. Shubman Gill lets it come at him and dabs it watchfully to point.

Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, Back of a length, outside off. Sai punches off the back foot through cover and mid off fo a single.

Gurjapneet Singh replaces Anshul Kamboj.

Noor Ahmad to Shubman Gill, SIX! FIFTY FOR SHUBMAN GILL! From just 23 deliveries and his love for playing in Ahmedabad continues. This is his 6th half-century this season. A loosener from Noor, as this is served right up there into the slot. Full and on middle, asking to be punished. Gill gets down on a knee and slog sweeps it using his wrists and dumps it behind the deep mid-wicket fence. Gill raises the bat calmly and acknowledges the cheer and applause from the crowd and his teammates. He means business tonight.

Noor Ahmad to Shubman Gill, From around the stump, this is short and on off. Shubman Gill punches the googly but hits it straight to the cover fielder.

Noor Ahmad to Sai Sudharsan, A googly now, around off on a length. Sai Sudharsan whips it off the back foot to deep mid-wicket for an easy single.

Noor Ahmad to Shubman Gill, Full and flat, on leg, Gill flicks it off the front foot to the righ of deep mid-wicket. Dewald Brevis gets across and cuts it off. Just one this time.

Noor Ahmad to Shubman Gill, Drags the length and slows it up, on a length, on leg. Gill steers it between deep square leg and deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Noor Ahmad to Shubman Gill, SIX! That's a sensational hit from Gill. He also brings up 6000 T20 runs with that strike. Noor lands it fuller and it is the googly on middle and leg. Shubman Gill picks the length in a trice and gets down on a knee before nailing the slog sweep over deep mid-wicket for a massive six.

Time for some spin right after the Powerplay. Here is Noor Ahmad to bowl now.

Anshul Kamboj to Shubman Gill, Seeing Gill advance once again, Kamboj fires in a toe-crushing yorker to cramp the batter. Shubman does well and flicks it along the ground to deep mid-wicket for a single. 13 runs from Kamboj's first. GT end their Powerplay on a high, at 62/0.

Anshul Kamboj to Sai Sudharsan, Pitched outside leg, on a length, Sai misses to tuck it around the corner and the ball rolls off the thigh pad to backward square leg for a leg bye.

Anshul Kamboj to Shubman Gill, Back of a length, into the bodyline. Shubman Gill shimmies down the track and drills it to the left of mid on for a quick single.

Anshul Kamboj to Shubman Gill, SIX! Free-flowing hit from Gill! A half-volley on middle and leg. Shubman Gill gets the front leg out of the way and launches it comfortably over long on for a six. The first of the evening.

Anshul Kamboj to Sai Sudharsan, Tight single! Good bit of fielding from Short once again. He has been a live wire so far. Touch full and outside off, Sai carves it to the short third fielder and calls Gill through for a single. Matthew Short is quick to attack the ball and scores a direct hit at the batting end, but Gill is quick enough to get home safely. The replay confirm the same.

Anshul Kamboj to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Crunched down the ground! Pitched fuller, around the off stump. Sai Sudharsan takes a couple of baby-steps forward, gets under the ball and lofts it over the mid off fielder for a cracking boundary. 50 UP FOR GT IN 5.1 OVERS!

Time for Kamboj? Surely. Anshul Kamboj is introduced into the attack for the last over of the Powerplay, replacing Spencer Johnson.

Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, Hits the deck hard, outside off, takes off a bit. Sai Sudharsan punches it uppishly once again but through the vacant point region for one more.

Gurjapneet Singh to Shubman Gill, Touch fuller and around off, Shubman Gill pushes it towards extra cover for a run.

Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, Short of a length and on off, Sai Sudharsan stabs it to the left of cover-point for a quick single.

Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, Three dots now! Fuller one, on middle, Sai Sudharsan steps across and tucks it to mid-wicket.

Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, Back of length and on off, Sai Sudharsan plays it late but cannot beat the fly slip fielder.

Gurjapneet Singh to Sai Sudharsan, Good length and around off, Sai Sudharsan drives it on the up but straight to extra cover.

CSK still search their first breakthrough, and Gaikwad brings Gurjapneet Singh into the attack. He replaces Mukesh Choudhary. Another left-arm seamer. We can also see Sarfaraz Khan on the field for now. Not sure for whom.

Spencer Johnson to Shubman Gill, FOUR! Two in two! Pitched up and around off, Shubman Gill once again makes some room for himself, extends his arms and carasess it through covers for four more runs. Back-to-back 15-run overs from Johnson. His bowling figures read 2-0-30-0.

Spencer Johnson to Shubman Gill, FOUR! Fine shot! Goes back to the fuller length and just outside off, takes pace off. Shubman Gill gives the charge but stays leg side of the ball to free his arms. He flays it uppishly to the right of deep point for another boundary.

Spencer Johnson to Sai Sudharsan, On a length and around leg, Sai Sudharsan clips it through square leg for another run.

Spencer Johnson to Shubman Gill, Fuller one and on off, Shubman Gill drives it crisply to covers for just a run.

Spencer Johnson to Sai Sudharsan, Pitched up and around off, angling away, Sai Sudharsan looks to drive but gets an outside edge through point for a single.

Spencer Johnson to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Streaky! Fuller delivery, outside off, Sai Sudharsan backs away and throws his hands at it. The ball flies off the outside edge just over Matthew Short at fly slip for a boundary.

Another fantastic start for GT. They are going at 10s an over and both the openers have looked in a fine nick, middling the ball frequently. Looks like a pretty good batting wicket. Spencer Johnson (1-0-15-0) to continue.

Mukesh Choudhary to Sai Sudharsan, Short and wide outside off, Sai Sudharsan cuts it uppishly but thorugh the vacant point region for one.

Mukesh Choudhary to Sai Sudharsan, Much fuller and on off, Sai Sudharsan drives it firmly but straight to mid off.

Mukesh Choudhary to Sai Sudharsan, Superb stop! Hits the deck hard, on off, Sai Sudharsan opens the bat face and steers it wide of the fly slip. Matthew Short there dives to his right to make a fantastic one-handed save.

Mukesh Choudhary to Sai Sudharsan, FOUR! Put away! Back of a length and well outside off. Sai Sudharsan gets the chance to free his arms and crunches it to the deep point fence for a boundary.

Mukesh Choudhary to Shubman Gill, Hard length and on off, Shubman Gill knocks it towards mid off.

Mukesh Choudhary to Sai Sudharsan, Short of a length and around off, Sai Sudharsan hops up and pats it down to backward point for a single.

Spencer Johnson to Shubman Gill, Pulls his length back, on off, nips back in a bit, Shubman Gill looks to play at it but gets an inside edge onto his pads as the ball rolls behind the stumps.

Spencer Johnson to Shubman Gill, Right in the blockhole this time, on middle, Shubman Gill digs it back to the bowler.

Spencer Johnson to Shubman Gill, FOUR! Wow, that's too classy! Overpitched delivery, on middle. Shubman Gill presents the full face of the bat and plays an elegant straight drive back past the bowler for another boundary.

Spencer Johnson to Sai Sudharsan, Much fuller and on off, Sai Sudharsan bunts it off the bottom half of the bat towards mid-wicket for a run.

Sanju Samson looks in some pain as he has hurt the fingers of his left hand. The CSK physio rushes out to check on him. And dear me! Sanju Samson is walking off the field. Another injury in the CSK camp and they would hope it is not a serious one to keep Samson out. It is Urvil Patel who has taken the keeping duties for now.

Spencer Johnson to Sai Sudharsan, FIVE WIDES! Oh, what happened there? Spencer Johnson lands this on a hard length and down the leg side. Sai Sudharsan looks to glance it away but misses. The ball straightens after hitting the deck, but Sanju Samson gets wrong-footed. He moves to his right but then tries to grab the ball with his left glove. It hits his little finger and still runs behind to the fence.

Spencer Johnson to Shubman Gill, Fuller delivery, on leg, Shubman Gill flicks it aerially but safely towards deep square leg for a single.

Spencer Johnson to Shubman Gill, FOUR! Gets greeted with a boundary! Spencer Johnson begins with a short-of-a-length delivery, just outside off. Shubman Gill uses the width on offer, gets on top of the bounce and just guides it through point for four more runs.

Positive start for the Titans. But Mukesh did get some swing. Will Spencer Johnson get the movement from the opposite end? Let's see...

Mukesh Choudhary to Shubman Gill, Pitched up and on middle and leg, Shubman Gill uses his feet and swipes it off the inside half of the bat. It flies wide of Ruturaj Gaikwad at mid on, who gives a good chase and slides to push the ball back inside just before the ropes. Three runs taken. 8 runs off the first over!

Mukesh Choudhary to Shubman Gill, Hits the deck hard, on middle, Shubman Gill covers the line of it and blocks out on the pitch.

Mukesh Choudhary to Shubman Gill, FOUR! Gets off the mark with a boundary! Good-length delivery, on middle, shaping into the pads. Shubman Gill rolls his wrists and flicks it with nice timing through backward square leg for four runs. The fielder in the deep is a lot square and there is no chance for Gurjapneet Singh to cut that off.

Mukesh Choudhary to Shubman Gill, Short of a length and just outside off, Shubman Gill rides the bounce and stabs it to extra cover.

Mukesh Choudhary to Shubman Gill, Fuller delivery, on off, shaping in a bit, Shubman Gill looks to drive but gets an inside edge towards mid-wicket.

Mukesh Choudhary to Sai Sudharsan, Sai Sudharsan and GT are underway! Mukesh Choudhary starts with a back-of-a-length delivery, on off, Sai stays back and dabs it through point for a single.

All set to get underway in Ahmedabad for the 66th match of the season. Two points of great importance up for grabs for both teams. The atmosphere is electric at the Narendra Modi Stadium and there is decent support for the Men in Yellow. The two umpires make their way out. Ruturaj Gaikwad has his men in a huddle near the ropes. Now, the Super Kings scatter through the park. The consistent opening pair of Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan walk out to the crease. Both have crossed 500 runs this season and are hungry for more. Mukesh Choudhary, the left-arm quick, is in readiness to bowl the first over. Sudharsan will take the strike. And here we go...

Who's up from the CSK camp? It is the Assistant Bowling Coach, Sridharan Sriram. He says that both Noor Ahmad and Akeal Hosein have been great. Adds that they are great students of the game, and it has been a pleasure to work with them. Mentions that he's got this relationship from last year, Noor was there and Akeal was in MLC, so they already had a rapport and it wasn't like they had to build the relationship from scratch but it has been nice to build on that. Sriram reckons that both spinners complement each other well. Akeal can be used in the Powerplay, which gives freedom to use Noor in a more attacking way through the middle overs. Shares that Prashant Veer is a very clever bowler, he is not the stylish orthodox left-arm spinner but more like Krunal Pandya. He watches the batter till late and can adjust his speed and variations accordingly. Says that Gaikwad has been looking to bowl him more, but the opportunity has not presented itself but hopes to see him bowl in the future.

Let's now hear from Jos Buttler - On being asked about how would he grade his season so far with the bat, Jos Buttler admits that it has been much better than the T20 World Cup. Says that he has found the form, but also admits that he could have converted some of the starts into big scores, but feels that he is hitting the ball really well now. When asked how the IPL helped him rediscover form after the World Cup, he says it helps massively. He points to the quality of facilities and the wealth of resources available, and calls it a great tournament to be part of. On what did GT take away from their last game against KKR, Buttler admits they were disappointed with the result. He singles out their fielding lapses and says their execution with the ball was also a bit off. He adds that it is a massive game for both teams and says it is all about coming out and starting fresh from scratch. On countering fatigue at this late stage of the tournament, Buttler says the squad has worked really hard so far and stresses the importance of staying mentally fit. He describes it as a very exciting phase of the tournament, one that demands an extra bit of energy as well.

Impact Players for GT - Prasidh Krishna, Anuj Rawat, Glenn Phillips, Kulwant Khejroliya, Kumar Kushagra.

Gujarat Titans (Playing XI) - Shubman Gill (C), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (WK), Nishant Sindhu, Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Kagiso Rabada, Arshad Khan, Mohammed Siraj.

Impact Players for CSK - Kartik Sharma, Macneil Noronha, Sarfaraz Khan, Kuldip Yadav, Aman Khan.

Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI) - Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Sanju Samson (WK), Urvil Patel, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Matthew Short (In place of Akeal Hosein), Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Spencer Johnson, Mukesh Choudhary, Gurjapneet Singh (In place of Prashant Veer).

The captain of Gujarat Titans - Shubman Gill says that he would have bowled first as well but doesn't mind batting first as there hasn't been much dew. They need to play good cricket over the 40 overs. Adds that he doesn't like to go by stats but teams batting first have won more matches here. Gill mentions that they have to keep the intensity high. They dropped a few catches in the last game, so they need to improve on fielding. Says that their bowling has been right up there and batting has been good too. Suggests that just because they have a 'Q' next to their name, it doesn't mean the job is done. He hopes that all three departments come good and they have three more good games. Informs that Prasidh Krishna comes back in the team in place of Sai Kishore.

The skipper of Chennai Super Kings - Ruturaj Gaikwad says that there is a bit of pace and bounce on the surface, and they want to exploit the conditions with the ball first up. On the changes, Gaikwad informs that Akeal Hosein misses out, and Gurjapneet Singh comes in for him. Also adds that Matthew Short is in for Prashant Veer. On what the talks have been coming into this game, Ruturaj mentions that it is about keeping simple and trusting the process. Shares that even in the last game, they gave a good fight, but couldn't get the desired result. Says that a lot of things unfold during the game, but stresses that it is all about turning up and getting that win.

TOSS - It's time for the coin-flip in Ahmedabad. Both the captains are out there in the middle now and having a chat among themselves. Shubman Gill gets the coin and gives it a flick and Ruturaj Gaikwad calls correctly. Chennai Super Kings elect to BOWL first.

PITCH REPORT - Graeme Swann begins by noting that it is a red-soil pitch which will be used for this game. About the dimensions, he informs that the square boundaries are 62 meters and 70 meters respectively, with the straight hit being 72 meters. Aaron Finch joins him and notes a beautiful covering of grass on the surface, and that it is rolled firmly into the pitch, and reads that as a strong sign of batter-friendly conditions. He explains that the grass holding through will generate enough pace for batters to play their shots freely, use the pace of the ball, and access the straight boundary. On spin, he sees none on offer tonight, adding that the surface looks hard and the ball should carry through nicely for the quicks. He expects runs to flow here. Finch also flags the boundary discrepancy as a key factor. He stresses keeping the ball away from the shorter boundary and targeting the bigger side and larger pockets instead. He adds that winning the toss and batting second to chase under lights looks the preferred call on this surface.

CSK's Powerplay problem - Chennai Super Kings walk into this game knowing that only a win will do and even then, they'll need favours elsewhere. Their season has been defined by one man, Sanju Samson. He is just 23 runs away from his second 500-run IPL season, and his impact in CSK's wins has been staggering, averaging 130.0 when they win, the highest among all batters in IPL 2026. But there's a catch. When Samson gets through the Powerplay unscathed, CSK have won all four such games. When he falls early, they've won just two out of nine. That's where the middle order Kartik Sharma, Shivam Dube and Dewald Brevis becomes crucial. The trio has stepped up in recent games, with Kartik averaging 72.7 at No. 4. CSK also boast the third-most economical spin attack in the league, but they've also lost the most wickets in the Powerplay this season. Against GT's pace barrage, that's a recipe for disaster if Samson doesn't fire early. Stay tuned for toss and other updates.

GT's run machine keeps rolling - Gujarat Titans have built their season on the most destructive opening partnership in the IPL. Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill have put together 1,817 partnership runs at an average of 64.9, the best among all opening pairs in IPL history. Sai has been in breathtaking form, notching four successive fifties, a franchise record and is now just one more fifty away to go past Gill's most number of 50 plus scores for GT in a single season. Gill himself has crossed 500 runs for the second consecutive year as captain, joining an elite list that includes David Warner and KL Rahul. Their bowling attack, led by the pace trio of Rabada, Siraj and Holder, has been the most economical among all teams in IPL 2026, but conceding 247 in the last game was a warning sign. A win here won't just secure two points, it could send them to the summit. Gujarat are playing like a team that knows exactly what they want.

Survival vs Supremacy! The Narendra Modi Stadium has witnessed many iconic nights, but this one carries a unique blend of history and desperation. It's Match 66, and the Gujarat Titans are hosting the Chennai Super Kings, a rematch of the 2023 final that CSK won in heart-stopping fashion. Since then, these two sides have developed one of the IPL's most compelling rivalries, with Gujarat holding a slender 5-4 edge overall. Tonight, the stakes couldn't be more different. Gujarat have already sealed their playoff berth, but a win, especially a big one could propel them to the top of the table. Chennai, meanwhile, are fighting for survival. A victory keeps their playoffs hopes flickering, though other results will still need to fall their way. A loss, and they're out. The stage is set, the floodlights are blazing, and Ahmedabad is ready for a classic.

... MATCH DAY ...

The final stretch - Three teams are through, one spot is left. That is where the IPL 2026 playoff picture stands right now, with just a handful of league fixtures to go. The race for that final berth has been fierce, absorbing, and it is only going to get more breathless from here. Match 66 brings us to Ahmedabad, where the Gujarat Titans host the Chennai Super Kings at the colossal Narendra Modi Stadium. Plenty to fight for - Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad have all punched their playoff tickets, and the battle among that trio is now about finishing in the top two. It was SRH's win over Chennai that effectively sealed the deal for both SRH and GT, but it left the Super Kings in a difficult spot. Sitting sixth after two straight defeats, CSK's path to the playoffs has gone from narrow to nearly surgical. A win here is non-negotiable, yet even then, the maximum they can climb to is 14 points, and that may not be enough without results elsewhere going their way. A net run rate sitting in the negative only adds to the pressure. The math is brutal, but it is not yet a closed book. For the Gujarat Titans, the motivation is different. The mission now is to finish as high up the table as possible. They carry the second-best net run rate in the competition, behind only RCB, and a win tonight could lift them to the very top of the standings. That said, the loss to KKR was a timely jolt. Sometimes a defeat like that is exactly the mirror a team needs before the knockout rounds arrive, a sharp reminder of what still needs fixing before the stakes get even higher. Bowling in sync - The big loss last time out should not ring too many alarm bells for the Titans. By and large, they have been a disciplined unit across all three departments this season. The one area that did creak against KKR was the bowling, which took a real beating at Eden Gardens, leaking 247 runs and managing just two wickets. Though they have conceded more than 50 runs in the Powerplay on average, their wicket returns have been fantastic, with them picking as many as 26 wickets inside the first six overs, which is among the teams with the most wickets in this phase. The chief architects of that early aggression are Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj, who have more often than not bowled three overs apiece in the Powerplay. The second line of attack has been just as threatening. Rashid Khan continues to weave his familiar magic in the middle overs, and the arrival of Jason Holder has given the attack a more complete look. Rashid holds the record for the most wickets at this ground, 29 in total, and sits second on GT's overall wicket-takers list behind Rabada this season. But it is Holder who has made the loudest entrance, snapping up 13 wickets in just seven games and injecting that extra cutting edge the attack was perhaps missing. Sai-Su leads the way - Six fluent half centuries and a classy hundred. That is the kind of consistency Sai Sudharsan has brought to this GT line-up and to the IPL as a whole this season. He sits firmly in contention among the best in the Orange Cap race with more than 550 runs, and right now, he is in the form of his life with four consecutive half centuries and counting. His partnership with skipper Shubman Gill has been one of the defining features of their campaign’s success so far. They have combined for over 1,100 runs this season and their opening partnership reads an average of 52.45. And with Jos Buttler back in form after a quiet few games, a brisk fifty last time out, the batting unit looks as complete as it has all season. Further down the order, Washington Sundar has been a picture of reliability at number five, chipping in with notable contributions one after another. It is that insane consistency with the bat that explains why GT have been bowled out just once all season. Hopes hanging by a thread - Call it bad luck or fate, but if CSK's season could be summed up in one word, it would be injuries. Across all departments and crucial times in the season, they have lost key players who have been central to their success this year. And yet, here they are. With a somewhat reshaped squad, still alive, still fighting, scrapping it out with four other teams for that final playoff spot. But injuries alone cannot excuse what has been a pretty underwhelming campaign. There have been genuine issues, areas they have neither addressed nor executed well enough, and those cracks have been hard to ignore. Of their seven defeats, five have come while defending totals, including three on the trot, a pattern that points to something worrisome. The Powerplay numbers with the ball tell the story plainly. They have conceded 91/1, 86/0 and 45/1 in their last three opening six overs, and across the season have managed just 16 wickets in that phase, one of the lowest tallies in the competition. More concerningly, their leading wicket-taker, Anshul Kamboj, who has crossed the 20-wicket mark this season, has looked a shadow of himself in recent matches. Noor Ahmad and Akeal Hosein have kept things reasonably tight, conceding just over eight runs an over between them, but the rest of the attack, the pacers in particular, have been either inconsistent or frustratingly expensive. Batting positives - One of the biggest drawbacks for CSK in the 2025 campaign was that they had the worst Powerplay batting average through and through. But with Sanju Samson, Kartik Sharma, and Urvil Patel batting proactively this year, they have found that cutting edge at the top that was so sorely missing before. They have averaged far better than the previous season in the first six overs, averaging 10. Ruturaj Gaikwad has not quite fired this season, and CSK have felt that absence keenly. A couple of half centuries in the middle of the campaign offered brief glimpses of his best, but the runs have dried up and the strike rate of 120.67 has raised eyebrows. Yet here is the curious part. Despite it being his quietest IPL season in recent memory, Gaikwad still finds himself as CSK's second-highest run scorer with 321 runs. Leading the charts above him is Sanju Samson, who has been CSK's most fluent and purposeful batter this season. Team form (Last 5 completed IPL matches, recent first) -  GT - LWWWW | CSK - LLWWW. What to expect? Out of six games played in Ahmedabad, it is an even split with teams batting or bowling first winning three apiece. And usually, Ahmedabad has been a high-scoring venue, so one can expect another competitive game here between two power-packed teams and a lot of stakes.