Gujarat Titans clinched a commanding nine-wicket victory against Rajasthan Royals in a one-sided Indian Premier League match held in Sawai Mansingh Stadium. Rajasthan Royals were only able to set a target of 119 runs, which Gujarat Titans easily chased in just 13.5 overs, winning with 37 balls to spare. The match resulted in Gujarat Titans consolidating their position at the top of the points table while handing Rajasthan Royals their fourth defeat in the last five meetings.
Gill and Saha's Opening Stand
Gujarat Titans' win was established through a 71-run opening stand between Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha. Saha remained unbeaten at 41 off 34 balls, while Gill scored 36 runs off 35 balls. Both batsmen played aggressively against RR pacer Trent Boult, hitting the left-arm for a couple of fours each inside the powerplay, at the end of which Gujarat Titans were 49 for no loss.
Hardik Pandya's brisk batting
Hardik Pandya's brisk 15-ball 39 not out (3x4s, 3x6s) helped Gujarat Titans achieve the target with ease. Pandya was severe on RR's Adam Zampa, hitting the Australian leg-spinner for three sixes and a four to collect 24 runs in the 11th over and hasten the process.
Rajasthan Royals' batting blunder
Rajasthan Royals surrendered to the duo of Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad to be bundled out for a meager total of 118 runs. The Afghan spinners shared five wickets, with Rashid returning 4-0-14-3 and Noor registering 3-0-25-2. Rajasthan Royals' decision to bat after winning the toss backfired as their batting crumbled against Rashid, who sparked a collapse, and Noor.
The pair of Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal tried providing RR with momentum, but their 36-run second-wicket stand was broken in the final over of the powerplay. Rashid broke the stumps with Jaiswal far out from the crease. Samson, who looked promising at 30 off 20 balls (3x4s, 1x6s), got out to Rashid as he moved across the line to play on the on-side but could only get a leading edge, collected by Pandya as the RR skipper looked at the surface in disbelief.
Rashid then outgunned his counterpart Ravichandran Ashwin for the majority of the eighth over, dismantling his off-stump on the final ball. Riyan Parag continued to disappoint as he failed to read the Afghan leggie's googly in the 10th over and appealed unsuccessfully against the umpire's leg-before call.
At the halfway mark, Rajasthan Royals were stuttering at 72 for five. Noor got into the act to keep RR under the pump, castling the left-handed Devdutt Padikkal in the 12th over and trapping the dangerous Dhruv Jurel leg-before in his next. Rashid returned in the 15th over to dismiss Shimron Hetmyer leg-before, with the Caribbean batter's horrendous run continuing in this IPL.
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