Gujarat Titans became the first team to accumulate 16 points in IPL 2023, courtesy of a 56-run triumph over Lucknow Super Giants. After being asked to bat first in match 51, which was held in Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, Gujarat scored a mammoth 227/2, before restricting their opposition to 171/7.
Albeit they eventually ended up losing the game by a big margin, Lucknow had a good start with the bat, as the opening pair of Kyle Mayers and Quinton de Kock wasted no time in finding their rhythm. The first four overs produced 50 runs, whilst at the end of the powerplay, Lucknow’s score read 72/0.
The balance of the game, however, swung completely in Gujarat’s favour when Mohit Sharma was introduced into the attack. In only his second delivery, the wily old fox used one of his many variations to confirm Mayers’ departure.
Deepak Hooda’s promotion to number three did not make much sense from the tactical perspective, and the batter himself could not prove his critics wrong, scoring just 11 runs before losing his wicket to Mohammed Shami.
Deepak Hooda’s promotion to number three did not make much sense from the tactical perspective, and the batter himself could not prove his critics wrong, scoring just 11 runs before losing his wicket to Mohammed Shami.
Marcus Stoinis followed suit a couple of overs later, before de Kock’s resilience finally concluded in the 16th over, although only after scoring a half-century. The last four overs saw Gujarat conceding only 31 runs, but more importantly, picking up three wickets. Mohit Sharma starred with the ball for them, recording figures of 4-0-29-4.
Lucknow Finish Decently, Gill Remains Stranded on 94
Earlier, Gujarat scored 227/2, breaching the 200-run mark for the third instance this season.
The tone was set at the beginning itself, as playing his first match of the season after a prolonged injury break, Mohsin Khan conceded 12 runs in his first over. The next couple of overs saw Avesh Khan, and Lucknow’s interim captain, Krunal Pandya getting the same treatment, with Wriddhiman Saha being the hosts’ aggressor-in-chief.
Mohsin returned to the attack only to concede 22 runs in his second over, whereas a 15-run over from Yash Thakur meant a couple of things – Gujarat scored 78 runs in the powerplay, and Saha recorded the fastest half-century by any Gujarat batter, in only 20 deliveries.
Although the fielding restrictions were soon lifted, there was hardly any alteration in the scoring rate, with Shubman Gill also opting against missing out on the party. The next three overs yielded 37 runs, with Gujarat bringing up the three-figure mark in only the ninth over.
Gill joined his partner to bring up his half-century in the 11th over, but six deliveries later, Lucknow finally had a moment of joy as Saha lost his wicket to Avesh Khan after adding 81 runs to his team’s total.
Skipper Hardik Pandya’s inclusion ensured that the wicket does not affect the scoring rate, with the next couple of overs producing 31 runs, but he could not extend his stay at the crease beyond a 15-ball 25. Having been taken to the cleaners earlier in the day, Mohsin Khan redeemed himself to an extent by picking up his maiden wicket of the season.
Gujarat were 184/2 after Hardik’s dismissal, with 230 looking well within reach, but Krunal’s bowlers did manage to pull things back at the death, conceding 43 runs in the last four overs.
Shubman Gill came agonisingly close to what would have been his first IPL century, but remained unbeaten on a 51-ball 94, with David Miller scoring 21 runs in 12 deliveries.
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