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IPL 2023: Dominant Gujarat Titans thrash Lucknow Super Giants by 56 runs, consolidate top spot
Defending champions Gujarat Titans produced an all-round performance to thump Lucknow Super Giants by 56 runs in their Indian Premier League match at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad.
With the eighth win of the season, the table-toppers Titans consolidated their top spot in the standings as they now have 16 points from 11 games, three more than second-placed Chennai Super Kings (13 from 11 games). LSG suffered their fifth loss, but remained at third in the points table with 11 points from 11 games.
First, the Titans posted a mammoth 227 for 2 riding on superb batting displays from their openers Shubman Gill (94 not out) and Wriddhiman Saha (81) as the duo added 142 runs to set the foundation for the big total.
The Titans bowlers then stopped LSG to 171 for 7 in their 20 overs to register the big win. Chasing 228, LSG stroked their way to a strong 102 for one at the halfway mark but the wheels came off eventually, with GT tying down their batters with tight overs.
Despite Quinton de Kock's brilliant 70 in his first game this season and Kyle Mayers' brisk 48 at the top, LSG middle-order crumbled against a mountainous chase to concede the contest. LSG knocked off 50 runs from the target in only four overs with both Mayers and de Kock finding momentum. While Mayers began with three consecutive fours off Hardik Pandya in the second over, the third from Mohammad Shami yielded 19 runs with de Kock hitting a couple of fours and Mayers getting a six and a four.
Mayers was also severe on Rashid Khan in the fifth, hitting him for a six and a four to collect 14 runs as LSG reached 72 for no loss after the powerplay. However, a brilliant catch from Rashid in the ninth over broke LSG's opening stand at 88. The Afghan player covered a distance of 26 metres from deep square leg and managed to hold on to the ball while diving to his right, getting rid of Mayers for 48 off 32 balls (7x4s, 2x6s) off Mohit Sharma.
But de Kock continued to flourish, flicking Hardik powerfully over midwicket for a six to take LSG to 102 for one halfway through. The horror run this IPL, meanwhile, continued for Deepak Hooda (11) who managed to get into double digits for only the third time in 10 innings, but hit a full toss off Shami straight to deep midwicket.
Marcus Stoinis (4) succumbed with Mohit getting him caught at short third man in the 15th over. LSG skidded further when Rashid cleaned up de Kock for a fine 70, coming off 41 balls with three sixes and seven fours, while Nicholas Pooran (3) fell to Noor Ahmad.
Earlier, Gill's unbeaten 94 and Saha's brutal 81 fired Gujarat Titans to 227 for two the fourth highest total this season. Saha and Gill went hammer and tongs from the word go to add 142 runs for the first wicket in only 12.1 overs, setting the franchise record for highest partnership for any wicket, as LSG had no respite despite deploying eight bowlers into the attack.
It was also the second-best stand for any team and for any wicket in this IPL, whereas for Gujarat Titans, the total was their highest-ever in IPL since their debut last season. Gill, so far steady at the other end, smacked a six over long-on off Krunal Pandya and in the last over of the powerplay, Saha brought up his fifty off only 20 balls with a six off Yash Thakur.
Saha and Gill's century stand came up in the ninth over itself with the latter hitting Ravi Bishnoi inside out for a six over cover. Saha looked set for his second IPL century his first came nine years ago in IPL 2014 but a sharp catch at deep midwicket by substitute Prerak Mankad off Avesh ended his assault. GT captain Hardik Pandya played a handy cameo hitting two fours and a six to make 15 off 25 balls. David Miller hit a couple of fours and a six to make 21 not out off 12 balls.
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