By SuperWest Sports Staff
Sports
Ryan Garcia sets his sights on one fight for July return
Ryan Garcia got his hands on the WBC welterweight world title back just weeks ago but the Californian is already looking to unify, revealing that he is ready to challenge for another belt in the division as soon as July.
Garcia comfortably outpointed Mario Barrios to claim his first world title and tee up potential rematches with fellow welterweight titleholders Rolando Romero and Devin Haney – the latter making up one of the most fierce rivalries in the sport due to their controversial first fight.
Although, in the time that has passed, Haney and Romero have been locked in discussions for a unification fight themselves, whilst Garcia has been pursuing a scrap with pound-for-pound superstar Shakur Stevenson.
Yet, those Haney-Romero talks may be on the verge of breaking down, after Haney revealed his frustration due to prolonged negotiations and unrealistic demands.
Now, Garcia has taken to X to provide Haney with a more lucrative unification opportunity, offering to fight ‘The Dream for a second time in July, whilst Haney offered a September fight date in response as the pair went back and forth in a series of posts.
Ryan Garcia: “Devin is terrified.”
Devin Haney: “You scared to death to sign up for drug testing. I told Turki [Al-Alshikh] let’s do it. Get u signed up for drug testing.”
Ryan Garcia: “Devin I’ll fight you in July! Stop saying drug testing, dumba*s POKE ME YOURSELF.”
Devin Haney: “He wanna fight in July cause he still cycling those PEDS. September & start drug testing now.”
Haney may prefer a September date so that he can prepare with a fight beforehand, due to the fact that he is yet to fight since his November WBO title win against Brian Norman Jr.
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Irfan Pathan crowns Shubman Gill-Sai Sudharsan ‘best batting pair in IPL history’ | Cricket News
Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill (Pic credit: IPL)
Everything about Gujarat Titans’ season has revolved around the opening pair of Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan, and now former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has joined the growing list of admirers of the duo.The pair once again showcased their brilliance in Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals, stitching together a match-winning 167-run opening stand while chasing a daunting target of 215. Gill led the charge with a sublime 104 off 53 balls, while Sudharsan provided explosive support with 58 off just 32 deliveries. Their partnership completely absorbed the pressure of the knockout contest and effectively sealed the result long before the final overs.Both batters have crossed the 700-run mark this season, with Gill currently occupying second place in the Orange Cap standings with 722 runs, while Sudharsan is close behind with 710 runs.Speaking on JioStar, Irfan Pathan hailed Gill and Sudharsan as the greatest opening pair in IPL history.“Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan are the best batting pair in TATA IPL history. They hold the record for the most 100-run partnerships and the most 50-plus partnerships in the tournament. In T20 cricket, if you want a flying start, you want both of them at the top. They complement each other perfectly. One rotates the strike, the other finds the boundaries. Their understanding is remarkable,” Irfan Pathan said on JioStar.Pathan also highlighted how the pair punished Rajasthan Royals’ bowling plans in Qualifier 2.“If bowlers try short-pitched deliveries, they actually enjoy it. They are ready to play the cut shot and punish anything short. That is exactly what Nandre Burger and Jofra Archer did. They bowled short, and Gill and Sudharsan were waiting. Even when Yash Raj Punja came into the attack, he bowled slightly shorter lengths. Shubman Gill is not afraid to use his feet against both fast bowlers and spinners. He steps out, creates room, and hits over the top,” he added. According to Pathan, the 167-run stand proved to be the decisive moment of the match – “The opening partnership of 167 runs in just 77 balls was where Rajasthan Royals lost the game. That stand took the chase away from them completely.”Their consistency is not new. Last season, despite Gujarat Titans’ Eliminator defeat to Mumbai Indians, Gill and Sudharsan combined for 912 runs in 15 innings, the highest partnership aggregate of IPL 2025. Sudharsan also finished that campaign as the Orange Cap winner. This season, the duo has already amassed 886 runs together in 15 innings and needs just 27 more runs in the final to surpass their own record.
Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal face off in the Champions League final this Saturday in Budapest. PSG are aiming to retain the European crown, while the newly crowned Premier League champions are chasing the first Champions League title in their history, 20 years after their only previous final appearance, a defeat to Barcelona.
Elsewhere in sports news, Nice have secured their Ligue 1 status. The Eagles crushed Saint-Étienne 4-1 on Friday in the second leg of their relegation playoff after a goalless first leg on Tuesday.
In women‘s football, Lyon are French champions once again. OL Lyonnes thrashed Paris FC 5-0 in Friday’s Arkema Première Ligue final to capture a record-extending 19th league title.
Barcelona have landed their first signing of the summer, with England international forward Anthony Gordon joining from Newcastle on a five-year deal.
France have officially begun preparations for the World Cup. Les Bleus gathered at Clairefontaine on Friday, where head coach Didier Deschamps urged his players to stay humble despite being considered among the tournament favorites.
At Roland-Garros, the shocks keep coming. One day after Jannik Sinner‘s stunning exit, Novak Djokovic also crashed out. The 24-time Grand Slam champion was beaten by 19-year-old sensation João Fonseca after a marathon five-set thriller, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5, lasting 4 hours and 53 minutes. In the women’s draw, four-time champion Iga Swiatek continued her title bid with a straight-sets victory over fellow Pole Magda Linette, 6-4, 6-4.
And finally, Sepp Kuss conquered the Giro d’Italia’s queen stage on Friday. The American’s triumph means he has now claimed stage victories in all three Grand Tours. In the overall standings, Jonas Vingegaard remains in the pink jersey, ahead of Felix Gall and Jai Hindley.
May 29, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb (62) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Hunter Goodman and Ezequiel Tovar homered in a five-run ninth inning, and the Colorado Rockies rallied to stun the San Francisco Giants 8-6 in Denver on Friday.
Willi Castro, Jake McCarthy, Tyler Freeman, Goodman and Tovar had two hits each and Juan Mejia (1-4) got the win for Colorado, which snapped a five-game skid with the dramatic victory.
The Rockies trailed 6-3 when McCarthy and Freeman opened the ninth with singles off Caleb Killian (1-3). TJ Rumfield flied out before Goodman crushed a home run just inside the left field foul pole to tie the game.
Castro’s two-single kept the inning alive, and Tovar ended it with his second homer of the game and fourth of the season.
Jung Hoo Lee had four hits and scored twice while Luis Arraez and Rafael Devers had two hits each for San Francisco, which has dropped four in a row.
San Francisco’s Logan Webb made his first start since May 5 and lasted 4 1/3 innings. He allowed one run on three hits and three walks while striking out five in his return from right knee bursitis.
Lee, who was activated from the 10-day injured list after recovering from a mid-back strain, contributed two run-saving catches. He made a running catch of Kyle Karros’ liner at the right field wall to end the fourth and then a sliding catch of Troy Johnston’s sinking liner to end the fifth.
The Rockies took a 1-0 lead in the second when Tovar came home on a double steal, with Edouard Julien swiping second. San Francisco tied it in the third on Willy Adames’ sacrifice fly and then went ahead in the fourth on a sacrifice fly from Daniel Susac and an RBI single from Harrison Bader.
That was all for Colorado starter Michael Lorenzen, who allowed three runs on five hits in 3 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out two.
The Giants padded the lead in the eighth when Lee led off with a double, went to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Bryce Eldridge’s sacrifice fly.
Tovar hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth. San Francisco answered with two in the ninth, on Devers’ RBI triple and Matt Chapman’s run-scoring single, to make it 6-3. –Field Level Media
RALEIGH, N.C. — For now, there is nothing but pain, which might be more formative for the Montreal Canadiens than anything else they experienced through this season and these Stanley Cup Playoffs.
It is the pain of every blocked shot, every hit and every slash now suddenly throbbing uncontrollably, radiating over the deep wound inflicted by a fourth straight humbling loss that ended a dream after 101 games.
The ice won’t make it go away just yet, and that’s not a bad thing.
No one knows more than these Carolina Hurricanes — who pulverized the Canadiens — that this pain is a pathway forward. They suffered it in three Eastern Conference Finals, over which they lost 12 of 13 games in demoralizing fashion to better teams, and it turned them into the punishers they’ve become.
“A lot of years with a lot of pain,” said Jordan Martinook after Friday’s 6-1 win over the Canadiens at Lenovo Center, his 89th playoff game that finally pushed him and the Hurricanes to Round 4.
“We had teams that could’ve got there and just (didn’t do it)… It’s been a crazy journey…”
The Canadiens have only taken a few steps on theirs, with each one of them bringing them hope that the pain they’re feeling takes them to where Carolina has now gone.
“I don’t know if I have three more years,” said 33-year-old Phillip Danault, who’s under contract for one more season with the Canadiens. “I hope it’s not that long for us, but we’re a different team. Sometimes it’s just a matter of who you play against. The maturity you build, the brand you have, it helps you find ways against certain teams.
“They found their way against us, and they deserved it. They work harder every single year.”
That’s what it takes; a deeper investment each time, with more sacrifices leading to more pain until what you have is a team that can assert its will over any opponent and inch that much closer to the ultimate pleasure.
The Hurricanes showed some rust in Game 1, a 6-2 loss that followed an 11-day break between rounds. But from Game 2 on, the Hurricanes asserted their will in one of the most dominant four-game performances in the history of the playoffs.
In those four wins, they outscored the Canadiens 15-4, outshot them 139-67, and you can imagine how lopsided the rest of the metrics were just based on those two.
“I think the one thing we kind of learned is they really played to their identity, and they have a lot of details inside of that, and I think for us it’s to keep trying to play to our identity but elevate the details a little bit,” said Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis. “The details just come with maturity and experience. It’s a really good team, a lot of experience. You’ve got to give credit to how well they played. They made it really hard on us, and we’re going to learn from a lot of that stuff.”
That’s what the Hurricanes did after getting waxed 4-0 by the Boston Bruins in the 2019 ECF and then sliced and diced 4-0 and 4-1 in 2023 and 2025, respectively, by the buzzsaw Florida Panthers.
The pain felt insurmountable to them each time, but it eventually pushed them to a level perhaps not even the Vegas Golden Knights will be able to contend with in the Stanley Cup Final.
A series against this galvanized, hardened Hurricanes team (which is now 12-1 in these playoffs) will present a challenge to the Golden Knights unlike any other they’ve faced so far.
Meanwhile, the Canadiens will be licking their wounds, thinking about what could’ve been after wins over the 106-point Tampa Bay Lightning and 109-point Buffalo Sabres got them to this stage before a loss to the 113-point Hurricanes made them realize how far they still have to go.
“It wasn’t easy this year to get into the position we were in, being one of the top three teams (left standing) or whatever, but it’s going to be even harder next year,” said formidable Canadiens sophomore Lane Hutson.
He’s only 22, but wise beyond his years, for Hutson knows the Sabres are nearly just as young as his team and just as motivated by the pain they endured at the Canadiens’ hands this spring.
He knows that the Ottawa Senators, who lost in four games to the Hurricanes in Round 1, are also on the rise; that the Panthers, who were injury-riddled after three straight trips to the Final and two consecutive Cups, will be back; that the Lightning still have a championship-calibre team.
And that’s just what the Canadiens will have to contend with in the Atlantic Division. Never mind the Ducks, the Mammoth, and the San Jose Sharks, who are all on the rise and looking at the Canadiens as an example of how fast a rebuilding team can ascend.
“These teams are hungry, they’re coming, they see what we’re doing and we’re not sneaking up on anyone necessarily,” said Hutson. “We feel like expectations are we’re supposed to be one of these teams, so we’ve just gotta bring it right from the start and bring a playoff mentality to training camp.”
There will be some healing to do before then, but first some pain to process.
“It should put gas on the fire. It should make them feel hungry,” said St. Louis.
He knows, because he experienced it before winning the Cup as a player in 2004.
“I remember my first experience losing in the second round of the playoffs,” St. Louis said. “I was so upset on the bus because I couldn’t believe I had to go through another 82 games before I get to have this fun. So, I think that when you taste that, it makes you hungrier, because we’ve had a lot of fun. There’s been waves and stuff, but it’s been unbelievable to go through it.”
At the end of it, the pain resonates before it dissipates.
It’s not something you welcome, but it’s something you need to go through.
“You learn more when you’re losing than winning, that’s for sure,” said a desolate Mike Matheson. “It’s hard to see that right now and look past how disappointing it is right now. But obviously, in the coming weeks, once you get back to your summer training, that motivation should be pretty high.”
It was for the Hurricanes, who stormed their way through their first 90 games before decimating the Canadiens.
Their pain pushed them to the next level, and they may be less than two weeks from finally shedding the remnants of it.
Spurs force Game 7 vs. Thunder, SGA struggles, Will Wemby carry this momentum? | The Herd
Victor Wembanyama scored 28 points and 10 rebounds in the San Antonio Spurs’ 118-91 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the WCF. Jason McIntyre says that Wemby showed up in the biggest moments, and asks if he can carry this momentum into Game 7. Plus, he discusses Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s struggles and asks if he will cost the Thunder the series.
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The Oklahoma City Thunder will be shorthanded in Saturday’s pivotal Game 7, as one of Oklahoma’s key contributors has been sidelined with an injury.
OKC guard Jalen Williams has been ruled out for Game 7 with a hamstring issue, ESPN reported on Friday. Williams appeared to aggravate his left hamstring during the Thunder’s 122-113 victory in Game 2. He missed the next three games before returning for Game 6, but logged just 10 minutes off the bench in Oklahoma City’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, which forced a winner-take-all Game 7.
“He’s obviously not 100%,” Mark Daigneault, the head coach of the Thunder, said.
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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams watches during the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs in Game One of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on May 18, 2026. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Daigneault applauded Williams for fighting through the injury and doing everything he could to help Oklahoma City.
“He didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know what to expect. So, it was a matter of getting him out there in kind of an insulated role and see what he can bring to the team. He’s an All-Star player, he’s an All-NBA player. He hasn’t done a full return to play [protocol] like he would if this was the regular season, and yet, he just wants to do whatever he can to try to contribute whatever he can to the team.”
BLOCKBUSTER GAME 7 SHOWDOWN: FOUR BEST BETS FOR SAN ANTONIO SPURS AT OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
“I give him a lot of credit to get himself out there. He did the best he could. He’s certainly not the reason we lost.”
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams reacts to a shot by forward Luguentz Dort in the third quarter against the San Antonio Spurs during game one of the Western Conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on May 18, 2026. (Alonzo Adams/Imagn Images)
Williams did not talk to reporters after Thursday’s game in San Antonio.
Williams underwent surgery last offseason to repair a wrist injury but still played a key role in the Thunder’s run to the NBA Finals last season. He appeared in just 33 regular-season games before this year’s playoffs.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams drives into the paint during the first quarter of Game Two of the NBA Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on May 20, 2026. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
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The winner of Saturday’s Game 7 will advance to the NBA Finals to face the New York Knicks. New York snapped a nearly three-decade Finals drought by sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.
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Home-game victories are the foundation of a college football program’s success and often correlate with teams at the top of the standings.
The tables below show the wins, losses, and win percentages for the region’s top programs over the last 15 seasons.
Oregon leads the way, followed by Boise State, Washington, BYU, and USC.
Home Winning % and Records by Program from 2011-2025
| Win % | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 88.0% | Oregon | 88-12 |
| 84.0% | Boise State | 79-15 |
| 78.8% | Washington | 78-21 |
| 77.2% | BYU | 71-21 |
| 75.8% | USC | 72-23 |
| 72.8% | Utah | 67-25 |
| 71.1% | San Diego State | 69-28 |
| 69.7% | Air Force | 62-27 |
| 69.5% | ASU | 66-29 |
| 68.2% | Utah State | 60-28 |
| 67.8% | Fresno State | 59-28 |
| 65.2% | WSU | 58-31 |
| 61.5% | Stanford | 56-35 |
| 59.6% | Wyoming | 53-36 |
| 59.1% | UCLA | 55-38 |
| 57.9% | Arizona | 55-40 |
| 57.7% | San Jose State | 49-36 |
| 55.0% | Cal | 50-41 |
| 54.9% | Hawai’i | 56-46 |
| 53.9% | Nevada | 48-41 |
| 52.9% | CSU | 46-41 |
| 50.0% | Oregon State | 47-47 |
| 46.1% | UNLV | 41-48 |
| 44.8% | Colorado | 39-48 |
| 41.9% | New Mexico | 36-50 |
| 41.8% | New Mexico State | 33-46 |
| 39.3% | UTEP | 33-51 |
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams (8) drives against San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) during the first half of Game 1 in the Western Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series Monday, May 18, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Oklahoma City star Jalen Williams will miss his side’s crucial game seven showdown with the San Antonio Spurs, the Thunder said Friday.
Williams was ruled unable to play in the huge Saturday night clash, with a spot in the NBA Finals at stake, due to a left hamstring strain, according to the injury report.
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The Thunder star wing has been hampered by a hamstring issue since the start of the playoffs.
He exited after just seven minutes in game two of the Western Conference finals series against the Spurs, and missed games three, four and five.
Williams managed just 10 minutes in Thursday’s emphatic 118-91 loss, and did not feature in the fourth quarter.
Defeat to San Antonio tied the best-of-seven series at 3-3, with the final game taking place in Oklahoma City on Saturday.
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Williams had played a vital role in the Thunder’s successful run to the NBA championship last year.
The victors on Saturday will play the New York Knicks for this year’s title.
The Knicks are in superb form and well rested, after sweeping both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers in an 11-game winning streak on their way to the finals.
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The Minnesota Vikings are winding down the first week of organized team activities (OTAs), as the calendar turns to June and training camp is about eight weeks away. Accordingly, it’s time to peek at this week’s rumors, which float a big-name trade piece, speculate on Brian Flores’s future, and outline what Minnesota might target in free agency, if anything, this summer.
It’s the Purple Rumor Mill for May 30th — the OTAs edition.
Vikings Rumors Touch Addison, Flores, and Free Agent Help
Rumor: If the Vikings trade any players this summer, Jordan Addison tops the list of candidates, according to Bleacher Report.
Pro Football Network last week analyzed one player per franchise who could be traded this summer, and Addison was that guy for Minnesota. Jacob Infante wrote, “Rather than continue to improve in Year 3, Jordan Addison saw his production drop in 2025, finishing with a career-low 71.0 PFSN WR Impact Score and posting career-low numbers in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns.”
“He missed three games due to suspension last year, and he was arrested for trespassing in January. His drop in production and off-field concerns could make him a trade candidate for the Minnesota Vikings.”
Addison temporarily lived the trade rumor mill earlier in the offseason, but when Minnesota locked his fifth-year option and selected no rookie WRs in the draft, the theories went silent. For at least a minute, they are back, per PFSN.
The Vikings should probably just enjoy their Justin Jefferson, Jauan Jennings, and Addison trio before ruining it.
Rumor: Brian Flores’s lawsuit against the NFL could last years longer, meaning he might just stay with the Vikings.
Flores is suing the NFL over its hiring practices following his dismissal from the Miami Dolphins in 2022 and the subsequent head-coaching search. This week, the U.S. Supreme Court dealt the league a setback by moving the case closer to a courtroom showdown, though that showdown could still be years away.
ProFootballTalk.com‘s Mike Florio observed Tuesday, “Obviously, the league wants the forum to be its in-house arbitration process. It keeps things secret, and it tips the scales of justice in the league’s favor. But, no, the NFL won’t suddenly surrender. It will aggressively challenge Flores at every turn, with the goal of securing a victory without having to take the case to trial.”
“When will that happen? It could take months. Maybe years. After all, it took nearly 52 months to get the case past the threshold question of whether the claims will be resolved in court or in arbitration.”
BET’s Tamara Brown added more context: “Since the suit was first filed, two other Black coaches have joined the fight. Steve Wilks joined the Arizona Cardinals in 2018 after the team fired him after just one season. His lawyers say he was brought in as a ‘bridge coach’ and never given a real chance to win.”
“The team replaced him with Kliff Kingsbury. Ray Horton also joined, claiming the Tennessee Titans gave him a sham interview in 2016 before hiring Mike Mularkey. Both teams deny the allegations, but now all of these claims will be picked apart in a courtroom.”
It’s terrible for Flores that he doesn’t receive legitimate head coaching attention, but it’s not the worst thing in the world for the Vikings and their fans. Bittersweet.
Rumor: Minnesota could target a center, EDGE rusher, and safety in summer free agency.
This tweet made the rounds this week:
At OLB, the options may look like this:
- Derek Barnett
- Joey Bosa
- Jadeveon Clowney
- Marcus Davenport
- Leonard Floyd
- Cameron Jordan
- Von Miller
- Yannick Ngakoue
- Haason Reddick
- Kyle Van Noy
The center spot is a bit less fun in free-agency speak:
- James Daniels
- Ethan Pocic
The club could also give Blake Brandel and an extended trial and hope for the best.
And at safety for free-agent options:
- Jamal Adams
- Ashtyn Davis
- Quandre Diggs
- Rayshawn Jenkins
- Jordan Poyer
- Jabrill Peppers
- Taylor Rapp
- Xavier Woods
- Donovan Wilson
Harrison Smith may come back, but there isn’t really a concrete timeline for that decision. Vikings fans should prepare for all possibilities, including the likelihood that Smith may have already played his final NFL game.
The safety group’s performance depends on several factors, with health being a significant concern. Josh Metellus struggled with a torn labrum for most of the 2025 season and did not perform at his usual level. However, the situation could improve if rookie Jakobe Thomas is ready to step up and contribute immediately. For now, that remains hopeful speculation rather than a certainty.
Jay Ward and Theo Jacksona are in the mix, as well.
Sports
GT’s road to IPL 2026 Final: Shubman Gill’s leadership, Jason Holder’s impact and hard length bowling | Cricket News
Gujarat Titans (Image: X)
Gujarat Titans beat Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 to secure their third IPL final in five years of their IPL journey. One of the most dominant teams in the league, Gujarat are now on the verge of winning their second IPL title after lifting their inaugural trophy in 2022. Their IPL 2026 campaign has been a rollercoaster ride. After a tough start, they dominated the second half of the season to finish second on the points table.In the first phase of IPL 2026, they won only three of their first seven matches while losing four, and even began their campaign with a defeat against Punjab Kings. However, the real turnaround came after their loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Gujarat Titans never looked back, winning five matches in a row and finishing the league stage with nine wins in 14 matches.
The Success of Gujarat Titans: Three Major Factors
Opening Pair: Shubman Gill and Sai SudharsanEverything about Gujarat’s season revolved around the opening pair of Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan.Against Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2, the duo stitched together a stunning 167-run opening stand while chasing 215. Gill smashed 104 off 53 balls, while Sudharsan blasted 58 off just 32 deliveries. Their partnership completely neutralized the pressure of a knockout game and effectively ended the contest before the death overs. Both batters crossed the 700-run mark this season, with Shubman Gill sitting second in the Orange Cap race with 722 runs, while Sai Sudharsan follows closely with 710 runs.Last season, GT reached the playoffs, where they lost to Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator. During that campaign, the duo scored 912 runs in 15 innings, the highest partnership tally of the 2025 season, with Sai Sudharsan finishing as the Orange Cap holder. This year, they have already accumulated 886 runs in 15 innings, and with one final match to go, they have a chance to surpass last year’s record tally.Jason Holder’s InclusionJason Holder has emerged as the transformative masterstroke for Gujarat Titans (GT) in IPL 2026, spearheading their rise to the top of the points table. After being acquired for Rs 7 crore at the IPL 2026 mega auction, he was benched during the first phase of the season. However, when GT brought him in as a replacement for Glenn Phillips, he helped turn their campaign around, with the franchise winning five of their next six matches following his inclusion.While his batting contributions have been limited, he has dominated with the ball. In 10 matches so far, he has taken 15 wickets at an economy rate of 7.54.In Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals, he delivered a match-winning spell of 2/27 in four overs, controlling the middle order and maintaining excellent economy. In Qualifier 1 against RCB, he produced a crucial breakthrough by dismissing both Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal in the same over. Throughout the league stage, Holder emerged as one of the tournament’s most economical bowlers, claiming 13 wickets in eight matches at an impressive economy rate of 7.34 despite batting-friendly conditions.Standing at 6’7″, Holder has effectively used his height to extract extra bounce, pairing seamlessly with Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj to dominate the death overs.Gujarat Titans’ Lethal Bowling PowerhouseWhile Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan’s opening partnership grabbed the headlines, Gujarat’s bowlers quietly won crucial moments throughout the season. In a tournament where bowlers have often been smashed for runs on batting-friendly pitches, GT’s bowling unit has dominated unlike any other side after a rough start to the campaign.Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj formed the most lethal new-ball bowling partnership of IPL 2026, carrying Gujarat Titans straight into the grand finale. Operating as a relentless opening duo, they terrorized top-order batters, restricted scoring opportunities, and made GT the most dominant powerplay side in the tournament.Rabada led the attack with 28 wickets, including a record 18 powerplay wickets, while Siraj contributed 17 wickets and bowled with exceptional control, delivering the most dot balls in the tournament. Together, they combined for 31 wickets and consistently dismantled opposition top orders.Their biggest performances came against Sunrisers Hyderabad, where they reduced SRH to 34/4 before bowling them out for 86, against Chennai Super Kings, where they shared six wickets to secure an 89-run victory, and in Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals, where early strikes reduced RR to 9/2 and set the tone for GT’s march into the final. Their relentless pressure and disciplined “Test-match length” bowling became the foundation of Gujarat’s success throughout the season.Gujarat Titans’ Season SummaryGujarat Titans’ first half of the season was disappointing, as they managed just three wins in seven matches while suffering four defeats. GT started their campaign with back-to-back losses against Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings before making a comeback with three consecutive victories over Delhi Capitals, Lucknow Super Giants, and Kolkata Knight Riders. They then lost their final two matches of the first half against Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.The second half of the season provided the turnaround they desperately needed. GT won six of their seven matches during this phase, with their only defeat coming against Kolkata Knight Riders. They eventually finished second on the points table and qualified for Qualifier 1 against RCB.
| Match No. | Opposition | Venue | Match Summary & Scores | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 4 | Punjab Kings | Mullanpur | GT 162/6 (20) vs PBKS 165/7 (19.1) | ❌ Lost by 3 wickets |
| Match 9 | Rajasthan Royals | Ahmedabad | RR 210/6 (20) vs GT 204/8 (20) | ❌ Lost by 6 runs |
| Match 14 | Delhi Capitals | Delhi | GT 210/4 (20) vs DC 209/8 (20) | ✅ Won by 1 run |
| Match 19 | Lucknow Super Giants | Lucknow | LSG 164/8 (20) vs GT 165/3 (18.4) | ✅ Won by 7 wickets |
| Match 25 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Ahmedabad | KKR 180 (20) vs GT 181/5 (19.4) | ✅ Won by 5 wickets |
| Match 30 | Mumbai Indians | Ahmedabad | MI 199/5 (20) vs GT 100 (15.5) | ❌ Lost by 99 runs |
| Match 34 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Bengaluru | GT 205/3 (20) vs RCB 206/5 (18.5) | ❌ Lost by 5 wickets |
| Match 37 | Chennai Super Kings | Chennai | CSK 158/7 (20) vs GT 162/2 (16.4) | ✅ Won by 8 wickets |
| Match 42 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Ahmedabad | RCB 155 (19.2) vs GT 158/6 (15.5) | ✅ Won by 4 wickets |
| Match 46 | Punjab Kings | Ahmedabad | PBKS 163/9 (20) vs GT 167/6 (19.5) | ✅ Won by 4 wickets |
| Match 52 | Rajasthan Royals | Jaipur | GT 229/4 (20) vs RR 152 (16.3) | ✅ Won by 77 runs |
| Match 56 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Ahmedabad | GT 168/5 (20) vs SRH 86 (14.5) | ✅ Won by 82 runs |
| Match 60 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Kolkata | KKR 247/2 (20) vs GT 218/4 (20) | ❌ Lost by 29 runs |
| Match 66 | Chennai Super Kings | Ahmedabad | GT 229/4 (20) vs CSK 140 (13.4) | ✅ Won by 89 runs |
GT’s Playoff JourneyGujarat Titans’ road to the IPL 2026 final featured both heartbreak and redemption. In Qualifier 1, they suffered a heavy 54-run defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru after conceding 254 runs and collapsing to 51/5 during the chase, with Sai Sudharsan’s bizarre hit-wicket dismissal highlighting a forgettable outing.However, GT bounced back strongly in Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals. Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj reduced RR to 9/2 early, and despite Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s brilliant 96, GT chased down 215 with eight balls to spare. Captain Shubman Gill led the charge with a magnificent 104 off 53 balls, guiding Gujarat into the final and setting up a blockbuster rematch against RCB for the IPL 2026 title.
Top 5 run getters for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026
| Rank | Player | Runs | Innings/Matches | Highest Score | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shubman Gill | 722 | 15 innings | 104 | 1 | 6 |
| 2 | Sai Sudharsan | 710 | 16 innings | 100 | 1 | 8 |
| 3 | Jos Buttler | 507 | 16 innings | 60 | — | 4 |
| 4 | Washington Sundar | 327 | 16 matches | 55 | — | 2 |
| 5 | Rahul Tewatia | 183 | 15 matches | 68 | — | 1 |
Top 5 wicket getters for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026
| Rank | Player | Wickets | Matches | Economy | Best Bowling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kagiso Rabada | 28 | 16 | 9.43 | 3/25 |
| 2 | Rashid Khan | 19 | 16 | 9.29 | 4/33 |
| 3 | Mohammed Siraj | 18 | 16 | 9.06 | 3/26 |
| 4 | Jason Holder | 17 | 10 | 7.54 | 4/24 |
| 5 | Prasidh Krishna | 16 | 11 | 10.52 | 4/28 |
RALEIGH, N.C. — The horn sounded to give Carolina a long-awaited Eastern Conference Final breakthrough. And the Hurricanes immediately made their way across the ice to Frederik Andersen in the victorious crease.
Veteran forward Jordan Martinook gave Andersen a hearty hug, tapping the goalie on the helmet the entire time. Then came defenceman Jalen Chatfield. And coach Rod Brind’Amour followed with a long hug and shared some words, with Andersen pausing afterward to bend forward and collect himself before going through the traditional handshake line.
Andersen was steady again as the Hurricanes beat the Montreal Canadiens 6-1 on Friday night in Game 5 to send the Eastern Conference’s top seed on to the Stanley Cup Final to face Vegas. It came after an emotionally wrenching 36 hours for Andersen, whose agent — former NHL playing great Claude Lemieux — took his own life Thursday.
”It’s been a difficult couple days, but the way we showed up today and the last couple days for the team for each other, it’s been incredible,” Andersen said in a postgame interview with TNT. “I can’t talk enough good things about this team and the way they’ve supported me. It’s been awesome.”
Andersen’s play has been one of the biggest stories in the Hurricanes’ return to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since hoisting the Cup in 2006, back when coach Rod Brind’Amour was the captain. He overcame a shaky start to the year as waiver-wire wonder Brandon Bussi seemed ready to run away with the starting job, had a rejuvenating stretch of playing for Denmark in the Milan Cortina Olympics, played well down the stretch of the regular season and has been a levelled-up version of himself throughout the post-season.
Now the 36-year-old veteran is headed to the Cup Final for the first time in his career.
He was coming off his third shutout of the post-season with Wednesday’s 4-0 road win as the Hurricanes asserted a tighter and tighter grip on control for the series. And that had come just two days after Lemieux had been the Canadiens’ torch bearer before Carolina’s 3-2 overtime win in Game 3.
Andersen didn’t mind Lemieux participating in the pregame Montreal mojo for the franchise where he won one of his four Stanley Cups in 1986 as a rookie.
“He’s like family,” Andersen told North State Journal afterward.
By Thursday, news had broken of Lemieux’s death, with Andersen set to start as the Hurricanes led 3-1 in the best-of-seven series.
“To be honest, wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to play,” Brind’Amour said. “You just don’t know how that was going to shake out. Obviously, he shook it off and battled through it. You saw the emotion after the game. Yeah, that’s a tough time for him. But he made us all proud, that’s for sure.”
Andersen finished with 23 saves and, as he has throughout the entire playoffs, came up with just about every timely save the Hurricanes needed against a skilled but desperate Canadiens team. And just as in the previous three wins, the Hurricanes were largely on their game to play a suffocating style that routinely won puck battles and kept the pressure on Montreal in its own end rather than giving up chances going the other way or shots attempted at Andersen.
He carried the shutout well into the third period before finally giving up a goal to Cole Caufield on the power play, though with Carolina already up 5-0.
Andersen continues to lead the post-season in goals-against average (1.41) and rank among the leaders in save percentage (.931).
“I know we were playing for him as best we could,” captain Jordan Staal said. “And it’s a tough couple of days here for him. We’re just family here, and we all felt that hurt. We tried to share as best we could and playing well in front of him as best we could do tonight.
“I thought he played unbelievable.”
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