New Delhi:Gujarat Titans captain played a stellar knock to take his team to the final of the Indian Premier League 2026 after the seven-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals in the Qualifier 2 on Friday, May 29. Gill’s risky 104 off 53 balls, with low reward, took his team to chase down 215 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur.
Gill became the first-ever captain to score a hundred in a playoff game with his 104. The previous best for the highest score in IPL knockouts was held by David Warner and Rajat Patidar, who scored an unbeaten 93, with the former’s knock coming against the Gujarat Lions in 2016 and the latter’s against the GT in IPL 2026 Qualifier 1.
Most runs as captain in IPL finals:1. Shubman Gill 104 vs RR, IPL 2026 Q2
2 - Rajat Patidar: 93* vs GT in IPL 2026 Q1 Qualifying
3 - David Warner, 93* v Gujarat Lions, IPL 2016, Q2
4 - Shreyas Iyer: 87* vs MI in IPL 2025 Qualifier 2
5 - Adam Gilchrist 85 v Delhi Daredevils IPL 2009 semi-final
Has any captain ever scored a hundred in T20 knockouts?Gill is the only captain to have hit a hundred in an IPL playoff, but he is certainly not the only one to have done so in T20 cricket. The GT skipper has 10 captains besides him to have achieved the feat with on top with his unbeaten 121 for Worcestershire against Sussex in Vitality Blast quarterfinal.
Other centurions in this feat include JJ Smuts (121 for Warriors vs Lions in CSA T20 Challenge 2019 final), Rajat Bhatia (107* for Delhi in SMAT 2012 quarterfinal vs Railways), James Vince (107* for Hampshire vs Worcestershire in NatWest T20 Blast quarterfinal), (104* for Colombo vs Dambulla in SLC T20 League 2018 final), Temba Bavuma (104 for Lions vs Warriors in CSA T20 Challenge 2019 final), (103 for Peshawar Zalmi vs Islamabad United in PSL 2026 Qualifier), Ishan Kishan (101 for Jharkhand in SMAT 2025 final vs Haryana), (100 for Sunrisers Eastern Cape vs Joburg Super Kings in SA20 2023 semifinal) and Muhammad Waseem (100 for UAE vs Oman in ACC Men’s Premier Cup 2024 final).
Gill takes GT to 3rd IPL finalGT were looking at a huge target after Vaibhav Sooryavanshi blasted 96 and Donovan Ferreira finished things off with 38 off 11 balls. GT had never chased anything more than 204 in IPL and the highest-ever chase in an IPL playoffs by any team was 204 as well, which was done by Punjab Kings in IPL 2025, Qualifier 2.
In their fifth season, GT are into their third ' . They had won the IPL 2022 on their maiden appearance before losing out to Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2023 final. Now they will face off against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final battle for the IPL 2026 crown.
ALSO READ |