Former India wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta believes the Powerplay battle could decide the outcome of Qualifier 1 between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2026 playoffs which will take place at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala.
Why will PowerPlay play a crucial role in Qualifier 1?
Dasgupta feels Gujarat’s top-order batters will be tested by RCB’s experienced pace pair of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood during the opening overs.
“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," Dasgupta said on JioHotstar.
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“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," he added.
The two teams will face off in Dharamsala on Tuesday, with a place in the IPL 2026 final at stake.
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How RCB and GT sealed their berth for Qualifier 1?
RCB enjoyed a strong league-stage campaign, winning nine of their 14 matches and finishing at the top of the table due to a better net run rate. GT also ended the league phase with nine wins and 18 points.
Despite RCB finishing higher in the standings, the Gujarat Titans come into the knockout clash with better momentum after a dominant 89-run win over Chennai Super Kings.
Meanwhile, RCB head into the match after suffering a heavy 55-run defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad.