27 May,2023 10:02 AM IST | Ahmedabad | mid-day online correspondent
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (Pic: @ipl/Twitter)
Sensational Shubman Gill extended his sensational run with a third century of the season as Gujarat Titans crushed Mumbai Indians by 62 runs to storm into their second consecutive IPL final on Friday. Gill's 60-ball 129 (7x4s, 10x6s) fired Gujarat Titans to a huge 233/3 and in reply, Mumbai Indians, struck by a string of injuries, went down fighting in Qualifier 2 with Suryakumar Yadav (61) and Tilak Varma (43) providing the resistance.
Hardik Pandya and Co. did their homework well on Thursday following a humiliating 15-run defeat over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Qualifier 1, patterns observed in the 12-year history of the playoffs suggest the four-time champions led by MS Dhoni has history on its side. Here's why. The Men in Yellow will take heart from history because the winner of Qualifier 1 has beaten the same team in the final seven times out of nine. Now whether Titans are able to mend the history, only time will tell. Meanwhile, Mumbai are the only team to have won the IPL title after beating the team it lost to in Qualifier 1.
Also Read: Hayden hails Dhoni's contribution to CSK's success: 'He takes someone else's trash...'
Gill's whirlwind knock made him only the second Indian batter after Virat Kohli (2016) and overall fourth in the history, after Jos Buttler (2022) and David Warner (2016), to score more than 800 runs in an IPL season.
Chasing 234, MI were forced to rejig their batting line-up with Ishan Kishan being substituted after he ran into Chris Jordan during change of overs in the first innings and hurt his eye.
Rohit Sharma also copped a blow to his hand while fielding and Cameron Green had to retire hurt for a bit, after being smacked on his left forearm by Hardik Pandya. Mohammad Shami caused early troubles for Mumbai, getting rid of makeshift opener Nehal Wadhera (4) and Rohit (8), but Varma took on the India and GT pace spearhead, hitting four fours and a six to collect 24 runs off the fifth over.
However, Varma's blitz did not last long as Rashid Khan cleaned him up after a 14-ball 43 (5x4s, 3x6s). MI reached 72 for three after the powerplay.
Suryakumar and Green kept the scoreboard ticking with their fourth wicket stand that took MI past the 100-run mark in the 10th over, but in the 12th, Josh Little ended their resistance by cleaning up the Australian. Green struck four fours and two sixes in his 20-ball 30.
