GT vs PBKS: Sai Sudharsan breaks Chris Gayle's record again as new 'Mr Consistent' rises in IPL

Gujarat Titans (GT) defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) by four wickets in a nail-biting thriller on Sunday night (May 3) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Table-toppers PBKS have now lost back-to-back matches while GT have won three in a row.

Chasing 164, GT huffed and puffed before finally crossing the line through a six by Washington Sundar who hit an unbeaten 40 off just 23 balls. While Sundar applied the finishing touches, it was opener Sai Sudharsan who once again stood out with his third fifty-plus knock in last four innings.

Sudharsan was not just the highest run-getter for GT on the night but also established an incredible record where he leapt past the legendary Chris Gayle.

Sudharsan goes past Gayle again

Playing his 50th IPL match, Sudharsan now has the record of most runs in the league after 50 matches. With a brisk 41-ball 57, the left-hander took his overall IPL tally to 2178 runs which is a new record for most runs after 50 games in the competition.

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The record earlier belonged to Chris Gayle who had 2061 runs after his 50 matches in the IPL. Gayle and Sudharsan are the only two players to have scored over 1000 IPL runs in just 50 innings.

Just a few games earlier, the 24-year-old had also broken Gayle’s record for the fewest innings taken to score 2000 IPL runs. The Titans' opener took just 47 innings to reach the milestone while Gayle had taken 48.

Sudharsan, who won the Orange Cap last season, had a poor start to IPL 2026 with just one fifty-plus score in first six innings. However, in the last four, now he has three including a century that came against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

His overall IPL career numbers are astonishing. In 50 innings, all played for GT since 2022, has scored 2178 runs at an average of 47.34 and a strike rate of 148. He has redefined consistency in the league and he is also scoring his runs a good pace. His good form has revived GT's chances at the tournament.

Even though Sudharsan and Sundar batted well, GT's victory, their sixth of this tournament, was scripted by the fast bowlers. Jason Holder picked up four wickets and was the Player of the Match with Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada picking up a couple of wickets each.

PBKS were struggling at 47-5 in the ninth over before Suryansh Shedge hit his maiden IPL half-century to rescue the Kings to a respectable total of 163-9 which was eventually overtaken by GT on the penultimate ball of the match.