In a breathtaking encounter at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Shubman Gill showcased his remarkable talent and powered the Gujarat Titans to a thrilling victory, knocking the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) out of the tournament.
Gill’s sensational unbeaten century of 104 runs off just 52 deliveries left the crowd in awe and secured a crucial win for his team.
Opting to bowl first, Gujarat Titans got off to a good start as their captain, Hardik Pandya, won the toss. RCB’s opening duo, Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis started aggressively, with du Plessis smashing four boundaries off Mohammad Shami in the third over.
Kohli joined the party in the following over, treating Yash Dayal with three consecutive fours. The pair dominated the Powerplay, taking RCB to an impressive 62/0.
However, Noor Ahmad provided the breakthrough for the Gujarat Titans, dismissing du Plessis for 28 runs. A quickfire cameo by Glenn Maxwell was cut short by a brilliant googly from Rashid Khan.
Noor Ahmad continued to trouble RCB, claiming the wicket of Mahipal Lomror with a clever stumping. Despite these setbacks, Kohli held the innings together and reached his well-deserved half-century off 35 balls.
With the entrance of Michael Bracewell, the momentum swung back in RCB’s favor. Bracewell wasted no time in finding the boundaries, hitting three fours in just two overs. Kohli, too, accelerated and showcased his class with a flurry of boundaries.
However, Shami’s dismissal of Bracewell brought a sudden twist to the game. Yash Dayal claimed Dinesh Karthik’s wicket soon after, putting the Gujarat Titans back in control.
Kohli continued his onslaught and scored his second consecutive century, receiving a standing ovation from the spirited crowd.
He finished unbeaten on a magnificent 101 off 61 deliveries, accompanied by Shivam Rawat, who contributed an unbeaten 23 off 15 balls. RCB posted a formidable total of 197/5 at the end of their innings.
In pursuit of 192, the Gujarat Titans started aggressively but lost Wriddhiman Saha early in the Powerplay. Gill, along with Saha, had set the tone with a couple of fours in the second over, but Mohammed Siraj ended Saha’s innings with a brilliant catch.
Vijay Shankar, the Impact Player replacing Yash Dayal, then joined Gill at the crease and added crucial runs.
Gill, displaying his exquisite stroke play, brought up his half-century off just 29 balls and launched an assault on Bracewell, smashing two sixes in one over. Shankar provided vital support, but his dismissal by Vijaykumar Vyshak broke the 123-run partnership.
Gujarat Titans lost two quick wickets as Dasun Shanaka failed to time his shot and fell to Harshal Patel.
David Miller entered the crease and immediately found the boundaries. With the equation narrowing down to 43 runs required off 24 balls, Gill struck a massive six off Siraj but lost Miller in the process. Gill continued to dominate and struck a crucial six off Harshal in the penultimate over.
With 8 runs needed off the final over, Wayne Parnell took the ball for RCB. The tension was palpable, but Gill rose to the occasion and sealed the match in style with a powerful six over long-on, completing a well-deserved century and securing a remarkable victory for the Gujarat Titans.
Gill’s unbeaten knock of 104 runs off just 52 balls was the highlight of the match, overshadowing Kohli’s exceptional century. With this win, the Gujarat Titans knocked RCB out of the tournament and secured a spot for the Mumbai Indians in the playoffs.
The M Chinnaswamy Stadium witnessed an enthralling contest that will be etched in the memories of cricket fans for years to come.
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