Gujarat Titans made light work of its 134-run chase against Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium to reaffirm its IPL 2022 title-winning credentials on Sunday. The Titans have also assured themselves of a top-two finish.
Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
Batting first, Chennai Super Kings did not score any boundaries in its first four overs as well as at the death. Wriddhiman Saha (67, 57b, 8x4, 1x6) collected six in the first 18 balls of the chase. He got a reprieve in the third over when Ruturaj Gaikwad dropped a simple catch at backward point. But if Super Kings' innings lacked momentum, Saha and Shubman Gill ensured the Titans' had it aplenty as they raced to 53 in the PowerPlay.
CSK v GT - AS IT HAPPENED
Matheesha Pathirana (2 for 24), with his uncanny slinging action, struck with his first ball in the IPL when he trapped Gill in front. Matthew Wade and Hardik Pandya fell shortly after but Saha, in the company of David Miller, saw Titans home with seven wickets to spare.
Earlier, Mohammed Shami's (2 for 19) first two overs had the same artistry as a skillful spell in a Test match. He pitched the ball short of a length and aimed for the top of the stumps. Off the fifth ball of his first over, Shami beat Devon Conway with one that seamed away from a length.
Conway thought he had a measure of Shami. So, off the first ball of his next over, he gave Shami the charge, but the latter's round-the-wicket angle meant Conway had to play at this good length ball that moved just enough to take the edge. Shami's pitch map will reflect a high concentration of deliveries in one spot, forcing the batter to come to the front foot.
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The Titans did not concede a boundary in the first four and then gave away five in the next two as CSK reached 47 for 1. Moeen Ali, in at 3, smashed two sixes in Rashid Khan's (1 for 31) opening over in the PowerPlay.
Gaikwad (53, 49b, 4x4, 1x6) and Moeen's 57-run stand was ended by R. Sai Kishore in the ninth over. Kishore, who had a big leg-side boundary to work with, tempted Moeen into playing the slog sweep and had him caught at deep midwicket.
Gaikwad's almost run-a-ball knock ended when Rashid had him caught in the 16th over, ending a 48-run partnership with N. Jagadeesan (39, 33b, 3x4, 1x6). Shivam Dube then fell for a two-ball duck as the stadium reverberated to rhythmic cheers to welcome M. S. Dhoni to the crease. But Dhoni was caught cheaply in the 20th over as one of the best bowling sides of this IPL set up another convincing win.
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