🏏IPL 2025 - Match 60: DC vs GT on 18th May 2025 at AJS, Delhi🏏

🏏IPL 2025 - Match 60: DC vs GT on 18th May 2025 at AJS, Delhi🏏

Both teams have faced each other six times, winning three each. Expect the likes of Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan to start it big for the Gujarat Titans.

DC sits fifth in the table with 13 points to their name, as they need atleast two more wins to keep their qualification hopes alive. They need to keep an eye on the other teams above them too, as those results can directly impact their chances.

GT, on the other hand, sits at the top of the table with 16 points to their name and needs just one more win to officially qualify for the last four stage.

Little over a week after the dramatic mid-game evacuation, amidst peaking Indo-Pak skirmishes, Delhi Capitals will return to the comforts of their high-scoring home Delhi - also a high-alert area ever since - in a bid to revitalise their IPL 2025 campaign on Sunday, against table-toppers Gujarat Titans.

While the mental scars from that night in Dharamsala may linger for many, DC were also spared the wrath of an on-song PBKS top-order that could have potentially cost them more valuable points following a dip in their recent performances.

Of their last six games as of that fateful night, Delhi had won just one, lost three, had one washed out in Hyderabad after their plummeted to 133/7, and were literally pulled out from a tough spot they found themselves in against Punjab, who were 122/1 in just 10 overs at the time of the blackout orders.

[Tag and Logo credit to Wildestdreams]

A playoffs spot is still very much on the table with three games in hand, albeit all against sides above them in the points table, but Delhi will have to shake off any complacency to get back to their ruthless best form that they kick-started the IPL 2025 in.

A significant loss for DC amidst the events of last week is that they no longer have the services of the experienced Mitchell Starc, who has decided against returning for the remainder of the season.

While his numbers may have dwindled in the second half of the league, Starc is a proven big-game player who would have vital to DC's chances at the business end of the competition.

For the Titans, the personnel loss was minimal. Only now, Jos Buttler will not be available beyond the league games with the season now dragged to the first week of June after a temporary one-week suspension. But that's a bridge they will cross when it comes.

With 16 points from 11 games, GT remained primed for a top-two finish even though they might find themselves displaced from their top spot before they actually take the field tomorrow. They have three games in hand, of which the last-two are against teams in the bottom half of the table, and one more win will secure the a playoffs spot.

DC vs GT Head-to-Head in Indian Premier League

Total matches played: 6

DC won: 3

GT won: 3

DC and GT IPL 2025 Playoffs Qualification Scenario

Delhi Capitals need to win two of their remaining three matches to secure a playoff spot. All their remaining matches are against the current top four teams: GT, MI, and PBKS. A loss in the upcoming match against GT will put them in a must-win situation for the final two matches. If they lose two out of the remaining three matches, they will be eliminated.

The Titans are just 1 win away from making the playoffs – 18 points will assure a team of a top four spot. GT have a favorable schedule ahead as well; they play DC in Delhi before heading back home to play their final two league matches at Ahmedabad (v LSG & v CSK) – where they have a formidable 4-1 record so far this season. The NRR of GT is currently second only to MI, which could help them with qualification or a top two finish.

Led by Axar Patel, DC began their campaign in fine form, registering four straight wins before suffering their first loss against Mumbai Indians. They managed to beat Rajasthan Royals but then stumbled with four consecutive defeats. One of their matches against Sunrisers Hyderabad was abandoned due to rain, leaving them fifth on the table with 13 points from six victories.

Meanwhile, Shubman Gill’s Gujarat Titans continue to impress. The 2022 IPL winners have secured eight wins so far and currently top the standings with 16 points, putting them within touching distance of another playoff appearance.

When: Sunday, May 18 at 7:30 PM IST

Where: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi

What to expect: Delhi has been a high-scoring venue with an average first-innings score of 215 since IPL 2024. Barring that, the weather remains clear for the game-night even though the day is expected to see temperatures in the range of early 40s.

Head-to-Head: DC 3 - 3 GT. In Delhi it's a 1-1 record for both these teams.

Teams Watch

Delhi Capitals

Injuries & Availability: Mitchell Starc has withdrawn, and Mustafizur Rahman is only likely to fly in on Sunday morning at the earliest after playing the first T20I for Bangladesh in UAE on Saturday night. It's likely DC will go short on their overseas player quota, like at the start of the league.

Tactics & Match-ups: DC will rely on Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel against Jos Buttler, with the spin-duo having dismissed the England batter three times apiece in all T20s. Kuldeep could also prove useful against Sai Susharsan, having conceded only 22 runs off 20 balls for one wicket.

Probable XII: Faf du Plessis, Abishek Porel, KL Rahul (wk), Sameer Rizvi/Karun Nair, Axar Patel (C), Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Mukesh Kumar/Mohit Sharma, Dushmantha Chameera, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan

Gujarat Titans

Injuries & Availability: Jos Buttler and Kagiso Rabada have both rejoined the squad, even though the former England skipper isn't now available for the entirety of the league.

Tactics & Match-ups: Should Kagiso Rabada feature in the playing XI, he has favourable matchups against Faf du Plessis and KL Rahul, having dismissed them five and three times respectively. Rashid Khan has also dismissed the two batters thrice each while Prasidh Krishna has accounted for Rahul's wicket three times.

Probable XII: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (C), Jos Buttler (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan, Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore, Arshad Khan, Gerald Coetzee/Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

Did you know?

- DC's opening partnership averages only 20.18 in this IPL season, the lowest among all teams. On the other hand, GT's openers have added 634 runs at an average of 57.63 in 11 games so far - the most by any team

- In his first five matches in this IPL, Shubman Gill scored 148 runs at an average of 37 with a strike rate of 146.53, with one fifty. In his last six games, he has struck four half-centuries and has scored 360 runs at an average of 60 with a strike rate of 155.17

- In his first three matches, KL Rahul scored 195 runs at an average of 92.50 and a strike rate of 169.72 with two fifties. But in his last seven games, he has got 196 runs at an average of 32.66 with a strike rate of 123.27 and has only one half-century

- Kuldeep Yadav has picked up only two wickets in his last five matches, averaging 75.5 with an economy of 7.94. In his first five matches, he bagged 10 wickets at an average of 11.2 with an economy of 5.6

What they said:

"We are taking it as a fresh start. Our focus is on how we began our campaign from the first game, and we will try to continue that momentum. We have a few replacements. It is tough to replace Mitchell Starc, but we have regrouped as a team. We don't want to dwell on the absence of players who are not here, but we will try to give our best with the players available" - Vipraj Nigam, on the non-availability of a few overseas players.

GT sit comfortably on 16 points from 11 matches and are one win away from sealing a playoff berth, DC are in a tougher spot with 13 points, and their qualification path is not so straightforward. DC have endured underwhelming results in their past few games as they have had just one win at home and have suffered injuries, poor form, and foreign player withdrawals.

Mitchell Starc is unavailable for the business end, although Faf du Plessis and Tristan Stubbs returned, but it might not be just enough for the side. The Axar Patel-led side will need two wins from their remaining three games to reach 17 points and stay in contention.

GT have been brilliant this season with a powerful top order consisting of Shubman Gill, B Sai Sudharsan, and Jos Buttler, all with over 500 runs. Their bowling has clicked too, with Prasidh Krishna leading the wicket-taking charts. Despite potential player exits for national duty ahead of the playoffs, like Buttler and Kagiso Rabada, the Titans are one of the top contenders tofinish in the top two.

Arun Jaitley Stadium Pitch Report

The Delhi wicket has traditionally favoured batters, and the story has been similar this season too. However, in the last few games, the surface has remained slow throughout, and the batters had to play smartly to score runs. Notably, the track is expected to pan out similarly. The team winning the toss will look to bowl first.

Delhi has been a high-scoring venue with an average first-innings score of 215 since IPL 2024. Barring that, the weather remains clear for the game-night even though the day is expected to see temperatures in the range of early 40s.