IPL 2025 Match Preview | Gujarat eye smooth playoff entry while inconsistent Delhi face crunch test

ByDebayan Sinha,SportsCafe Editor

Last Saturday at 6:25 PM

Delhi Capitals face the in-form Gujarat Titans on May 18 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. With just two games remaining in their league campaign, the Capitals must win both to keep their hopes alive, while Gujarat Titans will aim to finish in the top two.

‌The 60th match of IPL 2025 is set to feature a high-stakes showdown between the Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans on Sunday. In their previous encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat chased down a formidable 204-run target with ease, riding on Jos Buttler’s unbeaten 97 to secure a 7-wicket win. Delhi enters this clash placed fifth on the points table with 13 points. With playoff hopes hanging in the balance, they’ll likely need at least two more wins to stay in the race, while also depending on favourable outcomes from other fixtures involving teams above them. Gujarat climbed to the top with 16 points, is just one win away from confirming their place in the playoffs. The rivalry between these two sides remains evenly balanced, with each having won three of their six previous meetings.

The Titans will be looking for solid starts from Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan, both of whom have provided early momentum in several games this season. Jos Buttler and Sherfane Rutherford have delivered timely contributions and could prove vital once again. On the bowling front, the trio of Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, and Gerald Coetzee has consistently impressed, including a standout performance against the Mumbai Indians. Their pace and accuracy could be decisive in this encounter.

DC’s campaign has seen both highs and lows as they began with a promising run of four straight victories but have struggled to maintain consistency. Spin is expected to play a big role on the sluggish Delhi pitch, with Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam well-suited to exploit the conditions. The hosts will, unfortunately, miss the service of Mitchell Starc, who has flown back to his country since the IPL’s suspension last week.

Form Guide:

DC: NR, L, L, W, L

GT: W, W, L, W, W

DC vs GT head-to-head in T20s:

Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans have faced off six times in IPL history, with both teams winning three matches each, a perfectly balanced rivalry so far. With the head-to-head record on a knife’s edge, the upcoming clash could tip the scale as the Kotla crowd can expect a high-octane contest packed with explosive batting, tactical bowling, and fierce on-field competition.

Pitch and Weather:

The pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi is expected to be more favorable for batters, offering good value for shots. Fast bowlers might find some movement under lights as the game progresses. The toss could prove decisive, with the skipper winning it likely to prefer bowling first. As for the weather, skies are expected to remain clear on Sunday, with no rain in the forecast. Temperatures will be on the higher side, reaching up to 42°C during the day and dipping to around 30°C at night. A light shower on Friday evening is unlikely to have any significant impact on the playing conditions.

Team News:

Mitchell Starc has opted not to return to India for the remainder of IPL 2025, ruling himself out of further matches for the Capitals. Similarly, Donovan Ferreira, who featured in just one game this season, will also not be coming back. Meanwhile, there’s still no official word on whether Faf du Plessis will rejoin DC, while Tristan Stubbs has confirmed his return but only for the remainder of the league stage, after which he will leave for the World Test Championship final.

On the other hand, the Gujarat Titans were among the first teams to resume training following the suspension. Unlike other teams, they never fully dispersed last week, with only Jos Buttler and Gerald Coetzee heading home. However, they will be without Kagiso Rabada and Buttler after the group stage. The loss of Buttler will be especially significant. Gujarat’s batting largely depends on their top three, and with Buttler’s exit, Kusal Mendis has been signed as a replacement for the playoffs. he’ll need to make an immediate impact.

DC Probable XI: Karun Nair, Faf du Plessis, Tristan Stubbs, Abhishek Porel, KL Rahul, Ashutosh Sharma, Axar Patel, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar

GT Probable XI: Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler, Sherfane Rutherford, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Sai Kishore, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

Broadcasting Platforms

The Indian Premier League will be digitally streamed on JioHotstar and telecast on the Star Sports network.