Live Report: Rajasthan Royals vs Gujarat Titans, Jaipur

Clinical. That's what Gujarat Titans were tonight. They finish off the chase in just 13.5 overs with nine wickets still in hand. The two points have further strengthened their position at the top of the points table, with one foot in the playoffs.

Hardik finished unbeaten on 39 off just 15. A strike rate of 260. Saha mellowed down after the powerplay, ending on 41 not out off 34.

Royals, meanwhile, are still stuck in that ten-point cluster in the middle.

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After Titans' defeat to Delhi Capitals, Hardik had taken "full ownership" for not being able to close out the chase as he struggled to find any rhythm despite scoring an unbeaten half-century. He corrected that here. Facing his third ball, he smashed Zampa over his head for a six, and followed it up with 4, 6 and 6.

His assault means Titans are now just one hit away from a thumping win.

Gill was not able to score freely but given the small target and Saha doing the heavy lifting, he could afford to take his time. Yuzvendra Chahal eventually had him stumped in the tenth over, for 36 off 35. That was the 179th wicket for Chahal in the IPL. He is now just five away from overtaking Dwayne Bravo as the leading wicket-taker.

Royals needed early wickets to give themselves even a semblance of chance. But Gill and Saha ensured there was nothing of that sort. While Gill took his time, Saha hit five fours in the first 13 balls he faced. Boult 0-28 in three overs.

Titans have been superb in every aspect so far. Shami got the new ball to move around. Rashid and Noor spun a web in the middle overs. Their fielders effected run-outs. And while Wriddhiman Saha wasn't involved in any dismissal, he showed his class behind the stumps with an excellent one-handed take down the leg side. So far, as complete a performance as it can be from Titans.

A direct hit from deep to end the innings. Royals have been bundled out for 118. In 17.5 overs.

Royals had started well, and were 50 for 2 after the powerplay but the Jaiswal run-out triggered a collapse. And Royals could never recover. Rashid picked up three wickets and Noor two. Shami made sure he retained the purple catch.

Shami comes back and uproots Trent Boult's off stump with a 142-kph yorker. He also makes sure he is level with Rashid on the wicket chart, taking his tally to 18.

Rashid gets his third, this time traping Shimron Hetmyer for 7. Hetmyer's scores in his last five innings: 2, 3, 8, 8, 7. The wicket took Rashid's tally to 18, the most in the league. Rashid finishes with figures of 3 for 14 from his four.

RR 100 for 8 after 15. Can they last full 20 overs?

Devdutt Padikkal was looking to consolidate the innings but Noor Ahmad uprooted his off stump. Dhruv Jurel opened his account with a reverse-swept four but he too could have been back in the dugout had Rahul Tewatia managed to hold onto a tough chance at first slip. Little the unlucky bowler. He finishes his quota of four overs with figures of 1 for 24.

... as Rashid traps him lbw with a googly. Hetmyer comes in at No. 7, in the tenth over.

Here's how the last five overs have panned out.

Josh Little is playing his last game before he leaves to play for Ireland against Bangladesh. It may not be a huge loss for Titans when he does so as they have Alzarri Joseph on the bench. But for now, Little has titled this game towards Titans. Samson tried to flick one on the leg side but the ball came slower off the pitch than he had expected. Hardik settled under the leading edge.

Ashwin walked in at No. 5 as circuit breaker but Rashid pinged his off stump, forcing Royals to bring in Riyan Parag as Impact Player for Jaiswal. That means they will have only five specialist bowlers in the second half. The original plan, I guess, was to bring in Kuldip Yadav.

Despite losing Buttler early, Royals seemed to be winning the powerplay battle. After Jaiswal took Shami for a six and four, Samson did the same to Hardik. Royals were 47 for 1 after five when Rashid came into the attack. Samson cut his first ball towards backward point where Abhinav Manohar dived to his left to make a partial stop. Jaiswal was more than three-fourths of the way down before realising Samson had hardly come out of his crease. The deflection went straight towards Mohit Sharma at short third who threw it to Rashid to break the stumps. Jaiswal ran almost two runs there.

Titans have been among the best powerplay bowling units this IPL, and they have shown it once again. Mohammed Shami got the ball to move around - both in the air and off the pitch - in his first over. In Titans' previous game, he had picked up four for next to nothing inside the powerplay, with Delhi Capitals' batters trying to play him from the crease. Tonight, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler tried to use their feet but could manage only a single, and a wide, in his over.

Buttler did hit Hardik Pandya for back-to-back fours from the other end but he ended up pushing the next one straight to Mohit Sharma at short third.

But sticking to Royals's brand of attacking cricket, Jaiswal hits Shami for a six and four to take his side to 25 for 1 after three.

Rajasthan Royals have won the toss. Their captain Sanju Samson nearly said they would bowl first before saying they would bat. "It's a bit hard what to make of the pitch," he says. He also takes some time to remember what changes they have made before saying "Zampa comes in place of Jason Holder".

"We were looking to bat first as well," says Hardik Pandya. "But if the home captain doesn't know how the pitch is going to play, we rather field first and see how it plays."

Any changes for Titans? "I don't think so, I think no."

Rajasthan Royals: 1 Jos Buttler, 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Sanju Samson (capt & wk), 4 Devdutt Padikkal, 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Dhruv Jurel, 7 Adam Zampa, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Yuzvendra Chahal, 10 Sandeep Sharma, 11 Trent Boult
Substitutes: Joe Root, M Ashwin, Riyan Parag, KM Asif, Kuldip Yadav

Gujarat Titans: 1 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 2 Hardik Pandya (capt), 3 Vijay Shankar, 4 David Miller, 5 Abhinav Manohar, 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Noor Ahmad, 9 Mohammed Shami, 10 Josh Little, 11 Mohit Sharma
Substitutes: Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, KS Bharat, Shivam Mavi, R Sai Kishore