IPL 2023 Playoffs: Mohit and Gills’ Show as Gujarat Titans Cruises to Final for the consecutive second time, crushes Mumbai Indians by 62 runs

On Friday, Mohit Sharma showcased an outstanding performance, taking five wickets, as the Gujarat Titans triumphed over the Mumbai Indians by a margin of 62 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium. This victory secured their spot in the final on Sunday, where they will face MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings. 

Hardik Pandya, the captain of the Gujarat Titans, expressed great admiration for Shubman Gill following the young opener’s outstanding performance in their victory over the Mumbai Indians during the IPL 2023 Qualifier 2 on Friday, May 28. Gill proved to be instrumental in GT’s crucial win against the five-time champions, delivering an exceptional innings in which he scored his career-best 129 runs off only 60 balls. During his remarkable knock, Gill hit an impressive total of 10 sixes and 7 boundaries, allowing the defending champions to post a winning total of 233 runs on the scoreboard.

Shubman Gill displayed flawless batting as he capitalized on a missed opportunity when he was on 30, taking full advantage of the Mumbai Indians’ bowling attack. Gill achieved his first half-century in just 32 balls and followed it up with another fifty in a mere 18 balls, ultimately reaching his third century of IPL 2023.

In his last four innings, Shubman Gill demonstrated his ability to perform under pressure and made significant contributions to the Gujarat Titans. Having scored three centuries, the 23-year-old has established himself as a key player, accumulating a total of 851 runs in 15 matches during IPL 2023. His outstanding performance shattered multiple records. Not only did Gill achieve the highest individual score ever recorded in playoff history, but he also joined the ranks of Virat Kohli (973 runs in 2016) and Jos Buttler (863 runs in 2022) as the only batters to surpass 850 runs in a single season.

While Gill initially scored 483 runs in his first IPL season with the Gujarat Titans, he has elevated his game to a whole new level in IPL 2023. Notably, his runs have been amassed at an impressive strike rate of 156.

Shubman Gill’s century shattered the morale of the Mumbai Indians, who had traveled to Ahmedabad after a dominant victory over the Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator match in Chennai.

Mohammed Shami made a significant contribution for GT by dismissing opener Rohit Sharma and Nehal Wadhera. Following that, Josh Little ended the partnership between Cameron Green and Suryakumar Yadav, which had quickly surpassed 50 runs.

Mohit Sharma added the finishing touches by claiming the wicket of Suryakumar Yadav, who had been scoring rapidly and completed a five-wicket haul.

The Gujarat Titans will face the Chennai Super Kings in the final on May 28 in Ahmedabad. Despite Gujarat’s strong performance throughout the tournament and their ability to bounce back, Hardik Pandya emphasized the unpredictable nature of final matches.

“We will give our best, regardless of the outcome. Whether we win or lose, as long as we put in our utmost effort, it will be an enjoyable experience. Knockout matches are exciting and can go either way, so it’s going to be a fun time with the team,” Hardik expressed his thoughts on the final.

Gujarat has become the first team to reach the final in their first two years and now has the opportunity to join CSK and MI as the only teams to win consecutive titles.

In the earlier proceedings, Mumbai Indians’ captain, Rohit Sharma, won the toss and elected to field against the Gujarat Titans. The toss was delayed due to rain and eventually took place at 7:45 PM, with the match commencing at 8 PM. Both teams made alterations to their playing XI, with Mumbai Indians introducing Kumar Kartikeya in place of Hrithik Shokeen, while the Gujarat Titans included Josh Little and Sai Sudharsan, replacing Dasun Shanaka and Darshan Nalkande, respectively.