Gujarat Titans had a forgettable outing against Mumbai Indians on April 20 in IPL 2026. They lost the match by a massive 99 runs. The defeat exposed major weaknesses in both batting and bowling. It was a tough night for the Titans.
Tilak Varma turned the game around with a brilliant century. MI were under pressure early in the innings. But Tilak’s aggressive knock lifted the team to a strong total. His innings changed the momentum completely. Gujarat struggled to respond during the chase and kept losing wickets.
Kagiso Rabada’s smoking goes viral after GT suffer 99-run defeat vs MI
Despite the loss, Rabada impressed with the ball. He bowled with high pace and control. He picked key wickets, including Danish Malewar, Quinton de Kock and Suryakumar Yadav. His deliveries crossed 150kph and troubled batters. However, his efforts were not enough to stop the heavy defeat.
After the match, Rabada made headlines for a different reason was caught smoking after reaching the hotel. Rashid Khan and team management were even seen asking what he was doing.
In 2025, South African pacer confirmed that he is under provisional suspension for a month. He said he had returned home from the IPL due to personal reasons. Later, it was revealed that he had an adverse analytical finding during testing.
Rabada issued a public apology. He said he was deeply sorry for letting people down. He also said playing cricket is a privilege that he respects greatly. He thanked Cricket South Africa, Gujarat Titans, and his support team for standing by him.
Reports also stated that Rabada had faced a one-month suspension after IPL 2025. This was due to testing positive for a recreational drug, according to the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport.
For now, BCCI has not confirmed if he will face any charges or disciplinary proceedings for his smoking.
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