Gujarat Titans (GT) continued their dominating run in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 with a comfortable 9-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Friday.
The Titans’ comprehensive victory was thanks to an excellent all-round performance from the team, both with the bat and ball. The win sees them extend their lead at the top of the IPL points table, with a three-point cushion over the second-placed Lucknow Super Giants.
The spin duo of Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad turned the game in favour of GT as they restricted RR to a below-par total of 118 runs.
RR won the toss and elected to bat first, but they never found any momentum with the bat. The in-form Yashasvi Jaiswal tried to provide some impetus to the innings with a few boundaries, but his knock was cut short by a brilliant fielding effort from Abhinav Manohar.
Skipper Sanju Samson tried to steady the innings, but he too fell prey to Hardik Pandya’s accurate bowling.
The spinners then took over as Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad spun a web around the RR batters. Rashid Khan was exceptional in his spell as he picked up two crucial wickets and conceded just 14 runs. Noor Ahmad also impressed with his guile and picked up two wickets in his four overs.
Watch RR vs GT Match Highlights –
Chasing a modest target of 119 runs, GT openers Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha got off to a flyer. They put on a fifty-run partnership before Yuzvendra Chahal got the breakthrough for RR by dismissing Gill.
However, it was too little too late as captain Hardik Pandya came in at number three and smashed three sixes and a four off Adam Zampa’s over to take the game away from RR.
Pandya raced to 37* off just 13 balls, and Wriddhiman Saha hit the winning runs as GT won the match with more than six overs to spare. The win consolidates GT’s position at the top of the table, while RR remains at the bottom.
Overall, it was a comprehensive performance from GT as they outplayed RR in all departments of the game. Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad’s spin show was the highlight of the game, and GT’s batting unit chased down the target with ease. The win will give GT a lot of confidence going forward in the tournament.
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