Gujarat Titans' South African cricket player Kagiso Rabada bowls during the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamshala on May 26, 2026. Picture: TAUSEEF MUSTAFA / AFP
Image: TAUSEEF MUSTAFA / AFP
Despite his side Gujarat Titans (GT) losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL Qualifier 1 at Dharamsala on Tuesday, it may actually be good news for Kagiso Rabada.
As the top two finishers in the group stage, RCB and GT had the luxury of playing Qualifier 1, with the winner advancing to the final while the loser remains alive in the competition.
GT will now play in Qualifier 2 on Friday, taking on the winner of the eliminator between Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Rajasthan Royals (RR).
It means GT still have a chance in the competition, and if they win the next clash, they will advance to the final having played an extra match.
That’s crucial for Rabada, as he is still tied with RCB’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar for most wickets in the competition. Rabada (2/54) and Kumar (2/28) were both in action in Qualifier 1, and again they returned two wickets each.
Therefore, if GT do advance to the final, Rabada will have had one more match than Kumar to improve his chances at winning the Purple Cap for most wickets in an IPL season.
The last time Rabada took over 11 wickets in an entire IPL season was back in the 2022 edition while still playing for Punjab Kings. Of course, his 2025 debut season for GT was marred by his doping suspension for recreational drug use.
Though he served just a one-month suspension, he ended up playing just four matches without much success last season. In fact, it was Rabada’s worst-ever season in terms of wickets (two) taken and matches played in the IPL.