Shubman Gill’s devastating century and pacer Mohit Sharma’s great bowling skills defeated Mumbai Indians by 62 runs to confirm the final, the current champions Gujarat Titans. Batting at the start, Gujarat scored 233 runs for 3 wickets in 20 overs. In reply, Mumbai’s innings stopped at 171 runs.
Gujarat lost the toss and elected to bat first. Gill started with 54 runs off 38 balls with wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha. Saha returned with 18 runs off 16 balls. Gill added 138 runs off just 64 balls with Sai Sudarshan for the second wicket. In this pair, Gill scored his third century in 49 balls this season.
Pacer Akash Madhwal stopped Gill for 192 runs in the 17th over. Gill scored 129 runs off 60 balls with 7 fours and 10 sixes. After Gill’s return, Sudarshan scored 43 off 31 balls and captain Hardik Pandya scored an unbeaten 28 off 13 balls.
In response, Mumbai lost two openers Nehal Wadhera and captain Rohit Sharma for 21 runs. Then Australia’s Cameron Greene was out for 30 off 20 balls and Tilak Verma was out for 43 runs with 5 fours and 3 sixes off 14 balls. Suryakumar Yadav kept Mumbai’s hopes of victory alive by scoring a half-century in a defiant mood.
Mohit came into attack for the first time in the 15th over and collapsed the Mumbai batting line-up. Mumbai were all out for 171 runs with 10 balls remaining. Mohit took 5 wickets for 10 runs in just 14 deliveries. This is Mohit’s career best bowling in T20. Surya scored 61 off 38 balls for Mumbai. Gill was man of the match.
Gujarat will face Chennai Super Kings in the IPL final in Ahmedabad tomorrow.
(27 May/MM)