Right then, that is all we have from this game. The second game of this Super Sunday between Lucknow and Rajasthan is all set to get underway. So switch tabs and enjoy that game. Cheers!
Wriddhiman Saha is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his superb knock of 67 from 57 balls!
MS Dhoni, the skipper of Chennai, says batting first was not a good idea. Adds that it was tough to hit the fast bowlers in the first half. Tells that Sai Kishore bowled really well and feels that they should have sent Dube up the order, a left-hander would have been a good match-up. On Matheesha Pathirana, his action is similar to Malinga, the chances for error are slim and he bowls at a decent speed as well. Says they will try and give players ample time in the middle and also feature players who have not got an opportunity.
Chennai made quite a few changes to their playing XI for this game as they wanted to try out some new players. One must say that three young players who were brought into the playing XI had a good outing, especially Matheesha Pathirana who got two wickets and kept Chennai in the game. Narayan Jagadeesan also scored 39 not out and Chennai will be happy with their performance today. However, overall, they probably lost this game when they did not get any boundaries in the last five overs and ended up with a below-par total. The Powerplay with the ball was not good either and they were always behind the 8-ball after that. They did well though to take the game to the last over but have ended on the losing side yet again.
It was another good bowling performance by Gujarat that set up this win for them. They never let Chennai batters score freely in the first innings and were especially exceptional in the death overs. Shami was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets. With a modest total in sight, Saha came out all guns blazing in the Powerplay and Gujarat got 53 runs on the board in the first six overs. After that start, despite losing some wickets, Gujarat were always ahead in the game. Saha finished with an unbeaten 67 and overall it has been another convincing performance from Hardik Pandya and his boys.
Gujarat have sealed a spot in the top 2 with a clinical performance here. Their skipper, Hardik Pandya wanted them to play like a number one team ahead of this game and they have done exactly that as they have outplayed Chennai in all departments in this game.
GUJARAT TITANS
137/3 (19.1)
67* (57)
20 (15)
2/24 (3.1)
1/11 (2)
Over 20
4
Wriddhiman Saha*
67 (57)
David Miller
15 (20)
Matheesha Pathirana
2/24 (3.1)
GT
137/3
4
19.1
Matheesha Pathirana to Wriddhiman Saha ,FOUR! Saha hits the winning runs! This is on a length and outside off. Saha throws his bat at it and it goes off the splice and past backward point for a boundary. Gujarat win by 7 wickets.
Over 19
1
1
1
1
1
1
Wriddhiman Saha*
63 (56)
David Miller
15 (20)
Mukesh Choudhary
0/28 (3)
GT
133/3
1
18.6
Mukesh Choudhary to Wriddhiman Saha ,Short in length and well-directed on middle. Saha looks to pull but gets a leading edge and the ball drops in front of the running short third man fielder. A single.
1
18.5
Mukesh Choudhary to David Miller ,Very full and on leg, drilled down to long on for a single. Two runs needed now.
1
18.4
Mukesh Choudhary to Wriddhiman Saha ,Pitched up, on middle. Saha tries to paddle it but miscues it. The ball rolls to the left of Dhoni and a single is taken.
1
18.3
Mukesh Choudhary to David Miller ,A single as Miller hits this full ball to long off.
1
18.2
Mukesh Choudhary to Wriddhiman Saha ,Length ball, outside off. Saha dabs it to short third man where the fielder dives to his right and stops it. A single taken.
1
18.1
Mukesh Choudhary to David Miller ,Full and angling on off. Miller drives it to long off for a single. Gujarat are one hit away.
Mukesh Choudhary is back on.
Over 18
1lb
1
1
wd
1
0
1
David Miller*
12 (17)
Wriddhiman Saha
60 (53)
Matheesha Pathirana
2/20 (3)
GT
127/3
1
17.6
Matheesha Pathirana to David Miller ,A full toss, outside off. Miller hits it to deep point for one more. 7 needed now.