IPL 2023 Qualifier 2: Shubman Gill brilliance takes Gujarat Titans to a huge win.
The defending
Champions Gujarat Titans produced a dominating performance in the qualifier 2
of IPL 2023 against Mumbai Indians played at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on
26 May 2023.
MI captain
Rohit Sharma won the toss and decided to field first. It was a cautious start
by Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha initially before both openers put pressure
on the MI bowlers. At the end of first six overs, Gujarat Titans made 50 for 0.
Tim David
dropped a chance to get rid of Gill. After the drop chance, Gill took the
charge smashing Akash Madhwal for 3 sixes in an over to change momentum in
favor of Gujarat Titans. Piyush Chawla dismissed Saha via stumping from a wide delivery.
Saha and Gill added 54 runs for opening wicket. Sai Sudharsan came to the
crease and gave strike to Gill.
Gill looked
in decent touch with brilliant shots keeping the scoreboard ticking and keeping
pressure on against weak MI bowling. At the end of first timeout, GT made 80
for 1.
After the
timeout, Gill completed his fifty off 32 deliveries. It was superb batting by
Gill who just upped the ante hitting sixes and boundaries easily to keep MI
under immense pressure. Sai showed some intent but could not hit big shots. At
the end of second timeout, GT scored 147 for 1.
Gill
completed his 3rd century this season off 49 deliveries and continued
to hammer MI bowling. He was eventually dismissed for 129 off 60 balls with 7
fours and 10 sixes. Madhwal got the breakthrough dismissing Gill as Tim David
took a simple catch. Gill and Sudharsan added 138 runs for the 2nd
wicket.
Sai Sudharsan
retired as he was not able to hit shots. Hardik Pandya showed his class with
some brilliant shots keeping the scoreboard ticking and making life tough for
MI bowlers. Gujarat Titans posted 233 for 3 in 20 overs. Vishnu Vinod came to wicket
keep replacing Ishan Kishan. Kishan got hurt as Chris Jordan hit the elbow. Akash
Madhwal and Piyush Chawla took 1 wicket each.
Chasing a
mammoth total of 234 runs to win, Nehal Wadhera came as an impact player and
opened the innings along with Rohit Sharma. Mohammed Shami got the breakthrough
dismissing Wadhera. The Indian pace bowler then dismissed MI captain Rohit
Sharma with a simple catch to Joshua Little at fine leg to leave MI in trouble.
Cameron
Green left the field due to the ball hit by Hardik Pandya on his elbow. Tilak Varma
came to the crease and looked in sublime touch hitting boundaries and sixes at
will. Suryakumar Yadav began the innings with a brilliant boundary. Rashid Khan
dismissed Tilak Varma one before the field restrictions. Tilak and Surya added 51
runs for the 3rd wicket. At the end of first six overs, MI made 72
for 3. With that, the first timeout was called.
Cameron
Green returned to batting crease while Surya looked in great touch putting
pressure on GT bowlers. It was brilliant batting by Green and Surya keeping the
scoreboard ticking. Joshua Little was introduced into the attack dismissing
Green with a lovely delivery. Green and Surya added 52 runs for the 4th
wicket.
Vishnu Vinod
came as concussion replacement for Kishan. Surya looked in great touch showing his
class. At the end of second timeout, MI made 134 for 4.
Surya
completed fifty off completed 33 balls and looked for a famous win. Mohit
Sharma came into the attack with two wickets in the same over dismissing Surya
and Vishnu Vinod. Mohit broke the backbone of MI batting and ended with figures
of 5 for 10 in 2.2 overs.
GT 233 for
3 in 20 overs (Shubman Gill 129, Piyush Chawla 1/45) beat MI 171 in 18.2 overs
( Suryakumar 61, Mohit Sharma 5/10) by 62 runs.
For his 129
off 60 deliveries, Shubman Gill was named the player of the match award. With
this win, Gujarat Titans will face Chennai Super Kings in the finals to be
played on 28th May 2023.
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