IPL 2023 Playoff: Gill, Mohit wreak havoc to help GT terminate MI; set up CSK Final date; netizens euphoric
IPL 2023 Playoff: Gujarat Titans terminated Mumbai Indians by 62 runs in Qualifier 2 of the Playoff in Ahmedabad on Friday. Shubman Gill's ton and Mohit Sharma's five-for got the job done, as it sets up Chennai Super Kings Final date.
FollowIt was a patient yet brilliant outing by defending champion Gujarat Titans (GT) against five-time former record champion Mumbai Indians (MI) in the 2023 Indian Premier League's (IPL) playoff's Qualifier 1 at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday. Shubman Gill's hundred, followed by Mohit Sharma's five-for did an insane job for the hosts to win the fixture by 62 runs and set up a date with four-time former champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Final at the same venue on Sunday, while netizens were in a euphoric mood.
After winning the coins toss, which was delayed due to a wet outfield, MI opted to chase, as GT openers Wriddhiman Saha (18) and Gill (129) came up with a 54-run stand before the former departed to veteran leg-spinner Piyush Chawla in the seventh over. Thereon, Gill and Sai Sudharsan (43) changed the complexion of the Gujarat innings, piling on an assertive 138-run partnership for the second wicket.
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As Gill slammed his third IPL century and as many this season, besides also becoming the seventh to do so in the playoff and the youngest, his 60-ball 129 ended in the 17th when pacer Akash Madhwal got rid of him. Thereon, Sudarshan and Pandya (28*) did a decent job, while the former walked off after the penultimate over retired hurt.
Eventually, GT finishes on a monumental total of 233/3, the highest score in an IPL playoff game. Gill smashed ten sixes in an innings, making it the most by a batter in an IPL playoff contest. Besides the two wicket-taker for Mumbai, pacer Jason Behrendorff was quite economical. Before the chase, MI brought Nehal Wadhera for Madhwal as the Impact Player, while the Titans replaced Gill with pacer Joshua Little.
Although Mumbai began on a wobbly note, losing three by the sixth over of the PowerPlay, Cameron Green (30) and Suryakumar Yadav (61) put on a quickfire 51-run stand for the third, as the side looked strong at 72/3 by the sixth. Then, Surya and Tilak Varma (43) added 52 for the fourth before the latter fell prey to leg-spinner Rashid Khan, who knocked him over in the 12th.
A 31-run ensued between SKY and Vishnu Vinod (5). While the former engaged in most of the hitting, striking his 21st IPL 50, the latter supported him. However, in the 15th, the former was dismissed by senior pacer Mohit Sharma, who cleaned him up, shattering all hopes for MI, as it was left reeling at 155/5.
Thereon, Mumbai could barely get a partnership going and collapsed like a pile of cards, as GT got the job done by 62 runs and set up a date against CSK on Sunday in the grand finale. For Gujarat, Mohit was sensational with a five-for, the best bowling figure by a bowler from the side, while he also nailed it with his economy.
