Tags: Indian T20 League 2023,
Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians, Qualifier 2 at Ahmedabad, May 26, 2023,
Mumbai XI,
Gujarat XI,
Shubman Gill
Published on: May 27, 2023
Scorecard
| Commentary
| Graphs
Shubman Gill (129 off 60) and Mohit Sharma (5/10) starred for Gujarat Titans (GT) as the defending champions booked their place in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 final with a clinical 62-run win over Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2.
Sent into bat after losing the toss at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday, May 26, Gujarat Titans put up an imposing 233/3 on the board as Shubman Gill notched up third hundred of IPL 2023. In the chase, Mumbai Indians were bowled out for 171 in 18.2 overs as Mohit ran through MI’s middle and lower order.
In yet another exhilarating display, Gill struck seven fours and as many as 10 sixes after MI invited GT to bat first. He could have been out on 30 off Chris Jordan’s bowling, but Tim David put down a catch at mid-on, diving to his right. The Gujarat opener went into overdrive after that.
Gill and Wriddhiman Saha (18) added 54 for the opening stand, which ended when the latter was stumped down the leg side off Piyush Chawla’s bowling. The second-wicket stand between Gill and Sai Sudharsan (43 off 31 – retired out) was worth 138.
After crossing his fifty, Gill struck Akash Madhwal for three sixes in the 12th over. In the next over bowled by Chawla, he slammed two fours and a six. He brought up a 49-ball ton before eventually holing out off Madhwal’s bowling, walking off to a standing ovation. Sudharsan failed to get going at the death and retired out. Hardik Pandya (28 not out off 13), however, ensured GT finished with a 230-plus total.
In the chase, Mohammed Shami dismissed Nehal Wadhera for 4 and Rohit Sharma for 8 as MI’s hopes suffered a major setback. Tilak Varma came in and slammed 43 off 14, but fell to the guile of Rashid Khan, bowled as he missed his sweep. Suryakumar Yadav (61 off 38) and Cameron Green (30 off 20) gave MI brief hope. But neither of them could carry the team to victory.
Speaking after winning the Player of the Match, Gill said, “For me, it is playing ball to ball, over to over. The over where I hit three sixes gave me the momentum to go big. That’s when I realized it could be my day. It was a good wicket to bat on as well. Not a conscious decision, you keep inventing as a batter but for me the belief is more important. I am coming off a good international season as well. Had a good season last time as well.”
–By A Cricket Correspondent