Gill's ton powers GT to IPL final with 7-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's mature 96 guided Rajasthan Royals to 214/6 against Gujarat Titans, as he tempered aggression for a crucial innings in the IPL qualifier.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's mature 96 guided Rajasthan Royals to 214/6 against Gujarat Titans, as he tempered aggression for a crucial innings in the IPL qualifier.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's mature 96 guided Rajasthan Royals to 214/6 against Gujarat Titans, as he tempered aggression for a crucial innings in the IPL qualifier.
Gujarat Titans booked their spot in the IPL final after defeating Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets in the second qualifier on Friday.
Shubman Gill’s side will now face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Sunday’s final in what will be a rematch of the first qualifier, where Gujarat suffered a heavy 92-run defeat.
Chasing a target of 215, Gujarat rode on a sensational opening partnership between skipper Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan to take complete control of the contest. The duo added 167 runs for the first wicket, effectively taking the game away from Rajasthan Royals. Gill was the more aggressive of the two, smashing a brilliant 104 off just 53 deliveries, while Sudharsan played the perfect supporting role with a composed 58.
Gill’s innings was packed with fluent strokeplay and clean hitting as the Gujarat captain dominated the Rajasthan bowling attack during the chase.
After the dismissal of both openers, Gujarat required only a steady finish from the middle order. Rahul Tewatia remained unbeaten on 17, while Jos Buttler scored 9 as Gujarat crossed the line with eight balls to spare.
Earlier, 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryaanshi's 96 runs powered Rajasthan to a total of 214/6.
Unlike his explosive knock in the eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Sooryavanshi adopted a more cautious approach as wickets kept falling at the other end. The teenager anchored the innings brilliantly with a 47-ball 96 before falling short of a century once again.
The left-hander, known for his fearless strokeplay, mixed caution with aggression and ensured Rajasthan maintained momentum through the middle overs. However, just like in the previous game, his innings ended with a catch at third man.
In the eliminator, Sooryavanshi had smashed a breathtaking 97 off just 29 deliveries. This time, though, he displayed a different side of his batting and is staying on top of Orange Cap race for the most runs this season with 776.
Veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja provided valuable support during the innings, remaining unbeaten on 45, while Donovan Ferreira’s blistering 38 off just 11 balls gave Rajasthan a late surge and pushed the total beyond the 200-run mark.
Apart from the trio, only skipper Riyan Parag managed to reach double figures, scoring 11.
Kagiso Rabada and Jason Holder both took two wickets each for Gujarat.