Defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) started off their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season with a five-wicket win over four-time title winners Chennai Super Kings at Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, Ahmedabad. Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 92-run knock went in vain as Shubman Gill’s half-century followed by Rashid Khan’s cameo helped GT win with four balls to spare.
In the run chase of 179, GT got off to a good start with Wriddhiman Saha making use of fielding restriction. Saha became Rajvardhan Hangargekar's first IPL wicket. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 25 runs from 16 balls including two fours and as many sixes. B Sai Sudharsan became the first impact player for GT as he replaced an injured Kane Williamson. Gill broke free in the sixth over hitting Tushar Deshpande for a four and a six. Deshpande became first ever impact player of IPL. The pacer replaced Ambati Rayudu. After six overs, GT were 56/1.
Sudharsan got off to a positive start and found boundaries in the middle overs. Once again, Hangargekar broke the partnership. He scored 22 runs from 17 deliveries including three fours. Gill attacked Ravindra Jadeja as well. The opener got to his half-century from 30 balls. Jadeja got the wicket of Pandya in his final over. The skipper scored just eight runs from 11 balls. Shankar came out to bat in the 13th over. Gill continued to attack but became impact player Deshpande's first victim of the season. He scored 63 runs from 36 balls including six fours and three sixes.
Chahar bowled a brilliant 17th over as he conceded just four runs. In the 18th over, Shankar hit Hangargekar for a six. Shankar also became the first batter to review a wide delivery. He got out off the final ball of 18th over. He contributed with 27 runs from 21 balls. As Rahul Tewatia struggled, Rashid got off the mark with a first-ball six in the penultimate over. The Afghan all-rounder followed it up with a boundary towards third man. In the final over, GT needed seven runs. Deshpande was given the responsibility to bowl the final over. Tewatia hit him for a six first ball and finished the run chase with a four.
Earlier Pandya won the toss and opted to field first. Mohammed Shami struck in his second over to get the wicket of Devon Conway. The New Zealand batter became Shami's 100th IPL victim. Gaikwad looked in fine touch. In the fourth over, he punished on-debut Ireland pacer Joshua Little. Shami's third over turned out to be expensive as Moeen Ali hit Shami for two fours and a six. Rashid broke the partnership in the sixth over with the wicket of Ali. The England batter scored 23 off 17 deliveries. After powerplay overs, CSK were 51/2.
Gaikwad continued to hit big. The opener smashed Pandya for two sixes in the seventh over. Rashid struck again to dismiss Stokes for a single-digit score. Gaikwad continued his six-hitting spree. He reached his half-century with a maximum off 23 balls. Alzarri Joseph conceded three sixes in his first over. In the 13th over, Kane Williamson got injured trying to stop a maximum on the boundary. Little got his maiden IPL wicket in the form of Ambati Rayudu (12). He got bowled by the left-arm pacer.
Shivam Dube struggled to rotate the strike and eventually Gaikwad lost his wicket. He got out to a high full toss from Joseph in the 18th over. He scored 92 runs from 50 balls including four fours and nine sixes. In the same over, Joseph got the wicket of Jadeja as well. In the penultimate over, Dube (19) managed to hit Shami for a six but got out next ball. In the final over, Dhoni hit a monster six to complete 200 sixes for CSK. He followed it up with another boundary. His crucial 14-run cameo helped CSK post 178/7.
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