NEW DELHI: A dominant 205-run partnership between captain Shubman Gill and opener Sai Sudarshan powered Gujarat Titans to rattle the Delhi Capitals bowling unit and register a thumping 10-wicket victory at the Arun Jaitley Stadium here on Sunday.
With this win, the Gujarat-based franchise moved top of the table and qualified for the IPL 2025 playoffs. They have 18 points from their 12 games. On the other hand, the Axar Patel-led side remained at the fifth spot in the IPL 2025 points table with 13 points in 12 games.
Chasing a total of 200, Gujarat Titans openers Shubman Gill and Sai Sudarshan started attacking the Capitals’ bowlers from the first over.
Gill-Sudharsan completed their 50-run partnership in the fifth over and they completed their 100-run partnership in the 11th over of the innings.The Titans completed the 150-run mark in the 15th over and the 200-run mark on the last ball of the 19th over with a six, which sealed the game for them.
Sudarshan slammed unbeaten 108 runs from 61 balls at a whopping strike rate of 177.05, which was laced with 12 fours and sixes in his innings.
On the other hand, Gill smashed unbeaten 93 runs off 53 balls at a staggering strike rate of 175.47 with the help of three boundaries and seven maximums in his innings.
Earlier, after GT put DC to bat first, the visitors surely proved their decision right as for the first three overs, GT pacers Mohammed Siraj and Arshad Khan built up pressure on openers KL Rahul and Faf Du Plessis, not letting them even collect singles. Faf continued his mediocre run, succumbing to the pressure. He gave an easy catch to Siraj at mid-on, but Arshad Khan dismissed him for five in 10 balls. DC was 16/1 in 3.2 overs.
Abishek Porel joined KL on the crease, and the experienced Indian batter put back pressure on GT, with two well-timed fours against Siraj and by looting 17 runs off Kagiso Rabada’s first over, the final one of the powerplay. This included two sixes and four from Rahul.
At the end of six overs, DC was 45/1, with KL (36*) and Axar (1*) unbeaten.
DC brought up their 50-run mark in seven overs. KL brought up another fifty in the season, in just 35 balls, with five boundaries and two sixes. This was his fourth of the season.
With Porel and Rahul upping the attack, DC reached 81/1 in 10 overs, with KL (56*) and Porel (15*) unbeaten. After getting to his fifty, Rahul upped the ante, with two sixes against Rabada.
Their 90-run partnership ended, with Sai Kishore getting Porel caught behind by Jos Buttler for 30 in 19 balls (with a four and three sixes). DC was 106/2 in 12 overs.
Skipper Axar Patel joined KL at the crease, and the duo collected some boundaries against spinners. At the end of 15 overs, DC was 136/2, with Axar (10*) and Rahul (86*) unbeaten.
The promising partnership between KL and Axar was cut short as the skipper was caught by Sai Kishore on a Prasidh Krishna delivery at third man for 25 in 16 balls, with two fours and a six. DC was 151/3 in 16.2 overs.
KL continued his innings unaffected by the falling wickets, absorbing all the pressure. He finally reached his fifth IPL century in 60 balls, with 12 fours and four sixes, giving Prasidh his most expensive spell of the season: 1/47 in four overs.
DC ended their innings really well, getting 16 runs in the final over, including two fours by KL and a gigantic six by Tristan Stubbs. At the end, KL was unbeaten at 112* in 65 balls, with 14 fours and four sixes and Stubbs at 21* in 10 balls, with two sixes. DC was 199/3 in their 20 overs. Prasidh, Sai, and Arshad each got a wicket. (ANI)
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