Ahmedabad: Captain Hardik Pandya’s all-round performance helped Gujarat Titans clinch the Indian Premier League title in their debut season by registering a one-sided victory over Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets in the final on Sunday. have done. When Shubman Gill completed the formalities of victory by hitting Obed McCoy for a six in the very first ball of the nineteenth over, the Narendra Modi stadium reverberated with the applause and noise of more than one lakh spectators.
The credit for making a new team the head of this most captivating cricket league in the world goes to someone, then its ‘Captain Cool’ Hardik Pandya. Taking three for 17 in four overs in the first bowling, he restricted the Royals to 130 for nine. In reply, after two wickets fell early, 34 runs in 30 balls took the team out of the pressure.
Titans won the match with 11 balls and seven wickets to spare. Gill remained unbeaten on 45 off 43 balls with the help of three fours and a six, while David Miller made 32 off just 19 balls, which included three fours and a six. Gujarat had lost the wickets of Wriddhiman Saha (five) and Matthew Wade (eight) early on. Earlier, Rajasthan captain Sanju Samson won the toss and elected to bat, although none of his batsmen could play.
At the same time, in front of more than one lakh spectators on his home ground, the bowlers of Gujarat put pressure on him. Jos Buttler (39 off 35 balls) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (22 off 16 balls) could get some runs off the bat. Hardik took three wickets for just 17 runs in four overs while Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan bowled very economical and took one wicket for just 18 runs in four overs. Jaiswal, who could not play comfortably in front of Mohammed Shami’s pace and swing, did not leave any stone unturned to take risks.
He hit Shami for a six in cover and hit Yash Dayal for a six at long leg. In an attempt to play higher shots, he was caught in the deep. Orange-capped Butler and Samson were now at the crease. Keeping in mind the inconvenience caused to both against Rashid Khan, Hardik handed over the ball to the veteran spinner in the powerplay itself. Butler and Samson played Rashid carefully and the score was 44 for one in the powerplay. Buttler, who was in form, hit Lockie Ferguson for two consecutive fours.
Samson was sent to the pavilion by Hardik on his second ball. In an attempt to play a pool shot, he was caught by Samson off-side. Devdutt Padikkal took eight balls to open the account and returned after scoring two runs. Butler also lost his wicket after three balls.
Padikkal was dispatched by Rashid and Butler by Hardik. Hardik also sent Shimron Hetmyer to the pavilion and now Rajasthan’s score was 94 for five. With the dismissal of Ravichandran Ashwin, the hopes of a comeback for Rajasthan ended. Shami dismissed Riyan Parag on the best yorker.
