IPL 2023: 62nd Match CSK vs KKR: May 15, 2023

The Gujarat Titans achieved an impressive feat by clinching a top-two finish for the second consecutive time with a commanding 34-run victory over the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Ahmedabad on Monday. This resounding win, coupled with their tally of 18 points from 13 matches, secured the Titans’ spot as the first team to secure a playoff berth, while also eliminating the Sunrisers from further contention.

The Titans’ triumph was powered by exceptional performances from Shubman Gill, who notched his maiden IPL century, and Sai Sudharsan, who contributed a valuable 47 runs. Opting to bat first, the Titans set a challenging total of 188 for 9. This laid the foundation for Mohammed Shami, Yash Dayal, and Mohit Sharma to dismantle the Sunrisers’ batting order, leading to a collapse from which the Sunrisers couldn’t recover. Despite Heinrich Klaasen’s resilient half-century, the Sunrisers fell short in their late charge.

The match showcased the dominance of the Titans’ pacers, who accounted for 17 out of the 18 wickets that fell on the red-soil pitch at the Motera Stadium. Among them, Bhuvneshwar Kumar stood out with an impressive five-wicket haul. However, despite his stellar performance, the Sunrisers’ campaign was beyond salvaging, leaving them with nothing but wounded pride.

The Sunrisers’ innings started with a short-lived stay from Wriddhiman Saha, who fell for a duck on the third ball, caught behind off Bhuvneshwar’s outswinger. From there on, it was the Gill-Sudharsan show as the duo forged an outstanding 149-run partnership for the second wicket. While the rest of the Titans’ batsmen failed to make significant contributions, Gill and Sudharsan showcased their prowess, hitting boundaries aplenty. Gill struck 13 fours, while Sudharsan added six to the tally. The powerplay was particularly fruitful for them, as they smashed ten fours, including four consecutive boundaries off Fazalhaq Farooqi’s fourth over.

Gill displayed a wide array of strokes, executing pulls, short-arm jabs, cover drives, and scoops with finesse. The total crossed the 100-run mark in the subsequent four overs after the powerplay, as the Titans maintained a brisk scoring rate. Sudharsan, replacing Vijay Shankar after a month-long absence, exhibited a solid technique, finding gaps and capitalizing on loose deliveries. However, he did benefit from a couple of dropped catches.

The turning point in the Titans’ innings came in the 15th over when Marco Jansen, who had been expensive in his previous three overs, redeemed himself by dismissing Sudharsan on his first delivery. Natarajan took an exceptional catch from backward point. In the following over, Bhuvneshwar struck again, removing Hardik Pandya with a catch at backward point, denting the Titans’ momentum further. Natarajan then claimed the crucial wicket of David Miller in the 17th over. Farooqi joined the wicket-taking spree by dismissing IPL debutant Dasun Shanaka.

The final over saw Bhuvneshwar dominate proceedings, as he picked up three wickets and executed a run-out, concluding with an excellent figure of 5 for 30. In their chase, the Sunrisers struggled to cope with the pace and skill of the Titans’ bowlers, namely Shami, Dayal, and Mohit. The Titans’ bowling trio combined to take all nine wickets that fell during the Sunrisers’ innings. The trouble began early for the Sunrisers when Anmolpreet Singh top-edged a back-of-the-length delivery in the first over and was caught by Rashid Khan, who made a remarkable effort running in from deep third. Dayal continued the assault by inducing an outside edge from Abhishek Sharma, sending him back to the pavilion.

Then came the fiery spell from Shami, who proved to be almost unplayable. He claimed the prized wickets of Rahul Tripathi and Aiden Markram, taking three wickets for just five runs in a span of 10 balls. The Sunrisers’ score of 29 for 4 quickly spiraled to 59 for 7 when Mohit joined the wicket-taking spree, picking up three wickets in his first two overs.

Despite losing wickets regularly at the other end, Klaasen showed resilience and continued to seek quick runs. In a season where the Sunrisers’ batsmen had struggled, Klaasen stood out as the only player to cross the 300-run mark. On this particular day, he started cautiously, scoring 23 off his first 18 deliveries. However, he then unleashed an onslaught against Noor Ahmad, smashing two sixes and a boundary to increase the scoring rate. Klaasen accomplished his second half-century of the season in a mere 35 deliveries.

The only notable partnership for the Sunrisers came between Klaasen and Bhuvneshwar, who contributed a valuable 27 runs. They stitched together a partnership of 68 runs off 47 deliveries for the eighth wicket, offering a glimmer of hope. However, it wasn’t enough to rescue the Sunrisers from a certain defeat.

Overall, it was a memorable day for the Gujarat Titans as they secured a top-two finish for the second consecutive time. Gill’s maiden IPL century, combined with the superb bowling performance from Shami, Dayal, and Mohit, played a pivotal role in their victory. The Sunrisers, on the other hand, faced disappointment as they were knocked out of contention and left to contemplate their performances in a forgettable season.

As the IPL playoffs approach, the Gujarat Titans will be brimming with confidence, knowing that they have established themselves as one of the top teams in the tournament. They will aim to carry their momentum into the knockout stage and vie for the coveted IPL title.