Gujarat Titans posted the chasing target of 234 for Mumbai Indians to chase in Match 73 of TATA IPL 2023. MI’s choice to bat later, allowing the pitch to settle after the rain and take advantage to their favor. Hosts turned the table to enter the final, where they will meet Chennai Super Kings with no change to the venue.
Shubham Gill’s remarkable 129 runs off 60 balls made all of it possible. His performance was complemented by Mohit Sharma, who sent five players back to the dugout. This includes Suryakumar Yadav, whose shoulders were literally carrying the fortunes of the side.
A Strong Start
Kings have been in the IPL Finals 10 times, including the current edition. GT, on the other hand, is a new team that is out on an adventure to defend the title. Both locked horns on March 31, 2023, and Titans established that they were here to win no matter the chase or the target.
Making that statement strong is the match that followed. GT met Delhi Capitals in their second match and secured a 6-wicket win. Shubham Gill is second on the list for Orange Cap with 722 runs. Therefore, making it hard to believe that the second match was not in his favor, especially when the scoreboard tallied 14 runs off 13 balls.
The momentum gained in the first match against odds stated by top cricket betting sites continued despite losing the third match against KKR. Riders were able to chase the massive target of 205 with 3-wickets remaining in their hands.
Dominance Throughout TATA IPL 2023
Call it a minor hurdle for GT to get back on track versus LSG. Hardik Pandya struck all the possible chords on the pitch of Ekana Sports City to bring up 66 runs. The attempt was to match their keeper, Saha, for his combination of 6-4s at the strike rate of 127.03.
Gill returned to his usual form against Mumbai Indians. As Suryakumar Yadav continued to struggle, Gill found a way back to cross the half-century mark in less than 34 balls. The opener then made sure that he gave a strong foundation to the Titans in all the remaining matches.
The bowling unit was largely taken forward by Shami and Rashid. They also feature in the top positions for Purple Cap. Shami has a total of 28 wickets to his name, and Rashid’s charm remains visible with just a single wicket behind him. The flat pitch at Chidambaram Stadium brought him at par with Shami, but he later went for a double when Jadeja returned to the pavilion in the final over.
Adversities
Drawbacks were when Gujarat lost any match during TATA IPL 2023. That was just 4 instances, including Match 13 against KKR, Match 23 against Rajasthan Royals, Match 44 against Delhi Capitals, and Match 57 against MI.
One event that marked a significant highlight was Match 44 versus Delhi Capitals. Narendra Modi Stadium is a batters’ pitch with a lot of windows to score big runs. Yet, the Capitals were restricted to a lower total of 130 for the loss of 8 wickets. Shami bagged 4 wickets in 4 overs for an economy of 2.75.
Things went south when both openers of Titans collapsed in single digits. Khaleel picked up Saha, and Nortje managed to send Gill back to the squad. The skipper once again came to the rescue but down the drain. His 59 runs off 53 balls could not save the sinking ship, and GT lost one of the lowest chasing targets in IPL 2023.
Unforgettable Moments
Beating RCB in their own backyard is not as easy as it sounds at the moment when Plessis is leading the Challengers in a do-or-die event. Bangalore was on the edge. The win would have taken them to the playoff. The Titans were under pressure not to enter the playoffs with a loss. Winning the toss came in handy, and Hardik decided to bat later.
Kohli remained unbeaten for 101 in 61 balls to put up 197.
When it seemed that the job was done, came Gill to strike 8-6s and 5-4s for a total of 104 in just 52 balls. Just like the King, he remained unbeaten throughout the innings to ensure that Gujarat prevails on the victorious side. The final six at the first ball of the 20th over is now an unforgettable moment in TATA IPL 2023.
Conclusion
MI has chased the target of 200+ four times out of six times. Qualifier-2 of TATA IPL 2023 marked the third time that the Sharma-led side could not make it past the required target. Hardik Pandya will now carry on with his win percentage as the skipper, looking forward to defending the title like CSK did in 2010-2011 and MI did in 2019-2020.
A victory of 62 runs brings optimism among the team players of GT, especially when Shubham Gill is leading the chart for Orange Cap with 851 runs, and Shami is at the top spot for Purple Cap with 28 wickets.
Also read our blogs on “Five players who left their mark on everyone’s mind“.
