Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Shubman Gill found himself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons despite leading Gujarat Titans to a dramatic one-run victory over Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026, as the skipper was fined Rs 12 lakh for a slow over-rate.The penalty came after Gujarat Titans secured their first win of the season in a last-ball thriller at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday. In a statement, the IPL confirmed the sanction, stating: “Gujarat Titans (GT) Captain Shubman Gill has been fined after his team maintained a slow over-rate during Match No. 14 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 against Delhi Capitals (DC) at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi.”The release further added: “As this was his team’s first offence of the season under Article 2.22 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct, which pertains to minimum over-rate offences, Gill was fined INR 12 lakh.”Thriller win, but penalty followsThe fine somewhat overshadowed what was otherwise a thrilling night for Gujarat Titans. Defending 210, they held their nerve in a nail-biting finish as Delhi Capitals fell just short at 209/8.The turning point came when David Miller refused a single off the penultimate delivery from Prasidh Krishna, with two runs needed off two balls. The gamble backfired as Krishna’s slower ball deceived Miller on the final delivery.A desperate attempt for a bye ended in chaos, with Kuldeep Yadav run out thanks to a sharp direct hit from Jos Buttler, sealing a dramatic one-run win for GT.Gill’s tactical call pays offGill admitted that Miller’s decision gave his side renewed hope in a game that seemed to be slipping away. “Definitely, all three games we played had gone till the last over but very pleased to get over the line. When Miller didn’t take a single, I thought we had a chance to win,” he said after the match.The GT skipper also revealed the thinking behind the final delivery. “We decided whether to go for yorker or slower but given the wicket, the slower one would be difficult to hit.”Gill believed the total was slightly above par on the surface. “210 on this wicket was 10–15 runs above par and if we bowl well, we can win this,” he added.
