David Miller may have played his best-ever Indian Premier League (IPL) knock which turned a lost cause into a nerve-wracking thriller for Gujarat Titans. In the end, Miller rightfully finished off the run chase and remained unbeaten for 94 to help his side win the match by three wickets with just one ball to spare against defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK). In the absence of Hardik Pandya, stand-in skipper Rashid Khan-led Titans rose to the top of the points table.
2 golden ducks
The run chase got off to near-worst possible start. In-form Shubman Gill out out to Mukesh Choudhary off the first ball he faced. Vijay Shankar's bad run in the tournament continued as he bagged a golden duck. Maheesh Theekshana got rid of him in his first over itself. Promoted up the order in absence of Hardik, Abhinav Manohar could not cash in on the opportunity and got out for a run-a-ball 12.
Saha, Tewatia disappoint
After a poor start in the powerplay overs, an out-of-touch Wriddhiman Saha's troubled stay at the crease came to an end. He got out to left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja in the eighth over. The wicketkeeper-batter scored just 11 runs from 18 deliveries.
Miller keeps Titans in hunt
In the middle overs, Miller carried the Titans' run chase on his back. He barely got support from the other end with Rahul Tewatia playing too many dot deliveries and even struggling to rotate the strike. Meanwhile, Miller took on Jadeja in the 12th over and got to his first half-century since IPL 2016. Tewatia's stay at the crease came to an end in the 13th over. Bravo got Tewatia's wicket. The left-handed batter could score six runs from 14 deliveries.
Unconventional Rashid shocks Jordan
After Tewatia’s wicket, Miller targetted at least one boundary in every over. However, after Bravo’s economical 17th over, Rashid shared the workload and smashed Jordan for three sixes and one four in a 25-run over. Rashid tried to continue the onslaught in the penultimate over but Bravo got his wicket off the fifth delivery. The stand-in skipper scored 40 runs from 21 deliveries. Off the next ball, Alzarri Joseph got out for a golden duck leaving 13 runs to be scored in the last over.
The last over
Once again, Jordan was given the opportunity to bowl the last over but he could not succeed. He started off with two dot deliveries. Then, Miller got one in slot and hit Jordan for a six over fine leg for a maximum. Next ball, he bowled an above-waist high no ball. Miller followed it up with a boundary off the free hit delivery. On the penultimate delivery, the Proteas batter hit the ball down the ground and got a couple of runs to take Titans home with one ball to spare. ‘Killer Miller’ remained unbeaten for 94 off 51 deliveries laced with eight fours and six sixes.
Another poor start
Batting first, once again CSK lost early wickets. Mohammed Shami got rid of Robin Uthappa in the third over whereas Moeen Ali became Alzarri Joseph's first victim in his first appearance for Titans. However, Gaikwad did not get out early this time and stitched a partnership with Ambati Rayudu for the third wicket. Gaikwad got to his half-century off 37 deliveries in the 12th over.
Gaikwad, Rayudu change the game
Gaikwad and Rayudu helped CSK recover from a poor start in the powerplay overs. They accelerated in the middle overs targetting the likes of Yash Dayal, Joseph and Lockie Ferguson. But just before the slog overs, Rayudu got out in the 15th over. He missed his half-century by four runs. The veteran CSK batter scored 46 runs from 31 deliveries including four fours and two sixes. The two shared a 92-run partnership.
Captain Jadeja finishes well
Gaikwad could not continue till the end either and got out to Dayal in the 17th over. Towards the end, Shivam Dube and Jadeja helped CSK finish well. While Dube contributed 19 runs from 17 deliveries and got run out off the final ball of the innings, Jadeja scored 22 off 12 balls including two sixes.
