GT's Ishant Sharma looks past playoffs in DC clash: Every game important
Gujarat Titans pacer Ishant Sharma has insisted that neither he nor his team are solely focused on their upcoming clash against Delhi Capitals on May 18. While a win will guarantee GT a place in the IPL 2025 playoffs, Ishant stressed the importance of targeting all remaining league fixtures with equal intensity to ensure a top-two finish — a position that provides an added advantage in the playoff format.advertisementCurrently, sitting second on the points table with 16 points from 11 matches, the Shubman Gill-led side have shown consistent form throughout the season, unlike DC, whose campaign has dipped in the second half. Speaking in the Star Sports Press Room, Ishant stated that finishing in the top two remains their key objective."I would say it's not just one game that's important — every game matters. Especially in a tournament like this, where you have to work really hard to earn those two points. We've had matches where the outcome was decided in the final over, or a single situation — like a key wicket — changed everything. So I wouldn't say only this match is crucial. In the league phase, every single game carries weight, particularly if you're not finishing in the top two," Ishant Sharma told India Today via Star Sports Press Room.advertisement"You can't approach it thinking, 'We'll make it to the qualifier and then take it easy,' because if you do that, you might end up finishing third or fourth. That's not how we operate as a team. We don't get complacent. We play every game with full intensity. If you leave the field thinking you could have done more, that means you didn't give your 100%. We always want to walk off knowing we gave it our all," he added.GT's remaining matches after the DC game include home fixtures against Lucknow Super Giants and Chennai Super Kings. Securing a top-two spot would allow GT a safety net via Qualifier 2 should they falter in Qualifier 1.The upcoming match at Arun Jaitley Stadium holds special significance for Ishant, who returns to his original home ground in New Delhi. With pacers Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj also in red-hot form, GT's pace attack will be looking to exploit DC's volatile batting unit — a line-up that, despite inconsistency, still possesses the ability to change games in a short span.Stay updated on IPL 2025 with India Today! Get match schedules, team squads, live score, and the latest IPL points table for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Plus, keep track of the top contenders for the IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap. Don't miss a moment!
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