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Former Indian cricketer Deep Dasgupta believes the match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT) could be shaped early in the Powerplay, where Titans' top-order will be tested by the new-ball attack of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood.
He pointed out that previous matchups have already shown contrasting strengths, with Shubman Gill handling Hazlewood well, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been effective in picking up early wickets and applying pressure. Dasgupta feels the opening six overs will be decisive in setting the tone, and the team that wins that phase is likely to take control of the contest and possibly go on to win the tournament. "The biggest battle in Qualifier 1 will be the Powerplay contest between Gujarat Titans' top-order batters and the new-ball pairing of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood. In the previous game, Shubman Gill was outstanding against Hazlewood, while Bhuvneshwar picked up crucial wickets and created pressure early on. Those first six overs could well decide the direction of the match because both teams rely heavily on strong starts. My gut feeling is that whichever team wins this game could go on to win the tournament," Deep Dasgupta said on JioHotstar. The defending champions, RCB, are going to play Qualifier One against GT at Dharamsala on Tuesday. The Qualifier one between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans will determine the first finalist of IPL 2026. RCB showed impressive form in the league stage, winning 9 and losing 5 of 14 matches. However, both teams finished with 9 wins from 14 matches and 18 points. RCB topped the table only through superior NRR. The momentum is firmly with the Gujarat Titans heading into the clash after their dominant 89-run win over the five-time champions Chennai Super Kings, while the Royal Challengers Bengaluru come into the fixture on the back of a heavy 55-run defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad. (ANI)
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