TATA IPL 2024: Sudharsan, Miller Shine as Gujarat Defeats Hyderabad by 7 Wickets
Young Sai Sudharsan and seasoned David Miller combined effectively, forging a vital 64-run partnership to guide Gujarat Titans to a seven-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Despite a sluggish start on a challenging pitch, Sudarshan managed 45 runs from 36 balls, while Miller, battling through leg pain, remained unbeaten on 44 from 27 deliveries. The pair maintained composure, even during moments where SRH appeared to have the upper hand, ultimately securing the win for GT in the final over of the chase.
In pursuit of 163 runs, Wriddhiman Saha began aggressively, smashing two sixes and a four within the initial four overs, compensating for Shubman Gill's slower start. However, Shahbaz Ahmed dismissed Saha on the first delivery of the fifth over, as Saha chipped a catch to mid-on. Gill, initially struggling with 11 runs from 12 balls, swiftly picked up momentum, hitting a six and a four off Ahmed and Washington Sundar, respectively, to reach 36 runs from 27 deliveries. Nevertheless, Gill's innings came to an end on the first ball after the timeout, as he attempted to loft a googly from Mayank Markande but was caught at long-on, departing for 36 runs off 28 balls.
GT’s struggle to accelerate in the middle overs cropped up again when Impact Player Sudharsan and Miller struggled to get a move on, with SRH bowlers mixing up deliveries as well as variation in pace to keep the duo in check. Sudharsan broke the shackles by driving Jaydev Unadkat for four, guiding Pat Cummins by opening the bat face late to get a boundary wide of the diving short-third man. He then pulled Washington Sundar for another four to inject some life into GT’s chase.
Miller, who was at 13 off 16 balls before the 16th over began, got past his slow start by splitting the gap between long-on and deep mid-wicket to perfection for four before dancing down the pitch to carve Markande over extra cover for six. Sudarshan then danced down the pitch to dispatch Markande for six before Miller ended the decisive 24-run over by lofting downtown for another maximum.
Pat Cummins introduced a pivotal moment in the game when Sudarshan attempted to pull his slower delivery to mid-wicket, but Miller swiftly regained control for GT by striking two boundaries off Cummins. First, he executed a pull shot through long leg, then followed it up with a powerful shot past an extra cover who misfielded. Vijay Shankar then contributed with consecutive boundaries—a top-edge pull followed by a punch over mid-off—before Miller concluded the chase emphatically with a lofted six over long-off, securing a decisive victory for GT with five balls remaining.
