After Mumbai Indians beat Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, many were talking about a possible final clash for Rohit Sharma-led side against Chennai Super Kings. But, Shubman Gill’s thunderous 129 and Mohit Sharma’s economical fifer helped Gujarat Titans (GT) outclass MI at their homeground with a 62-run win in IPL Qualifier 2. The defending champions will take on CSK in the final on May 28 at the same venue.
Haphazard start to run chase
With Ishan Kishan getting concussed, impact player Nehal Wadhera opened the innings. Wadhera got off the mark with a boundary but edged one off Mohammed Shami's bowling next ball. Cameron Green got off the mark with a boundary. Skipper Pandya opened the bowling from the other end and hit Green’s left forearm. The Australian all-rounder got retired hurt. Suryakumar Yadav got off the mark with a boundary first ball. Next over, Shami continued his domination in powerplay overs. Rohit went for the pull shot but got caught by Joshua Little. Tilak Varma hit Shami for a six in the same over. Varma showed same intent against Pandya and smashed another six.
MI big-hitters keep run chase alive
In the fifth over, Varma showed true class and hit Shami for four fours and a six. After the 24-run over, Varma got bowled by Rashid Khan. The southpaw scored 43 runs from just 14 balls. MI lost three wickets but had 72 runs on the board after six overs. Green came back to bat but struggled to find boundary. In the ninth over, Green hit Noor Ahmad for the first six of his innings. Rashid went for plenty in the next over as MI had 110/3 on the board at halfway stage.Green took on Ahmad again and hit him for a six.Joshua Little was introduced into the attack and he got the wicket of Green. The all-rounder scored 30 runs from 20 balls. Little conceded just five runs from his first over.
MI collapse in run chase
In Little's next over, Suryakumar kept the run chase alive and got to his half-century with a six. Pandya then introduced Mohit Sharma into the attack. Suryakumar first hit a six then got bowled trying to play his trademark 'supla' shot. He scored 61 runs from 38 balls including seven fours and two sixes. In the same over, Kishan's concussion substitute Vishnu Vinod handed an easy catch to Pandya as he got out for a single-digit score. Rashid then ended MI's hope for a comeback as he trapped Tim David in front of the stump. After that, it was just a matter of time before MI surrendered. Mohit got two wickets in his second over and ended MI's innings in the penultimate over to complete his maiden IPL fifer. MI got all out for 171 in 18.2 overs and lost the match by 62 runs.
Steady start for GT openers
Jason Behrendorff started off with an economical over conceding just three runs. In the second over, Gill hit the first four of the innings. Wriddhiman Saha and Gill played themselves in and hit the occasional boundary. In the sixth over, Gill took on Jordan hitting him for a six and a four. Gill got an early reprieve in the same over as David dropped a catch diving to his right at mid-on. After six overs, GT were 50 for no loss. Piyush Chawla outsmarted Saha with a wide delivery to get him stumped. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 18 runs from 16 balls.
Gill smashes 3rd ton of season
In the ninth over, Sai Sudharsan hit the first boundary of his innings. Gill went down the track and hit the first six as Chawla conceded 16 runs from the over. Gill survived a scare as Kishan failed to take the bails off in time. He reached his half-century from 32 deliveries and then hit a six. At halfway stage, GT were 91/1. In the 12th over, Gill took on GT's in-form bowler smacking him for three sixes. Chawla took a beating again as Gill hit him for two fours and one six in the 20-run over. Sudharsan hit the first six of his innings in the 14th over. Gill reached his century from 49 deliveries, his third in the season. He followed it up with two sixes and a four off Green.
Gill departs but GT post big
Jordan conceded 17 runs from his next over as Sudharsan joined the party. In the 17th over, Madhwal erred but finally got the wicket of Gill. David completed the catch at deep mid-wicket. He scored 129 runs from 60 balls including seven fours and 10 sixes. Pandya came to bat and got off the mark with a boundary off a no ball. From the next over, Behrendorff conceded just seven runs. Despite conceding a six Madhwal finished well conceding nine runs in the penultimate over. Sudharsan got off the field retired out. He scored 43 runs from 31 balls including five fours and one six. In the final over, Rashid Khan hit a boundary. Jordan erred with his line and length and was hit for a four and a six by Pandya as GT posted 233/3, the highest total in IPL qualifiers. The skipper contributed with a 13-ball 28 cameo.
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