The Gujarat Titans (GT) consolidated their position at the top of the table in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 with a 9-wicket victory over the Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Friday at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
A spin show from Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad produced a comfortable win for Gujarat Titans as they chased the target of 119 with more than six overs to spare.
Chasing a target of just 119, Gujarat Titans openers – Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha got off to a bright start. The fifty partnership was up for the opening duo in the seventh over.
RR were still searching for the all-important breakthrough as GT openers took the game further away from the home side. Yuzvendra Chahal finally provided the wicket by dismissing Shubman Gill who was out stumped.
However, captain Hardik Pandya, who walked in to bat at number 3 hammered three sixes and a four against Adam Zampa, who conceeded 24 runs in his third over.
The Gujarat Titans captain raced off to 37* off just 13 balls as his side required only 5 more runs to win. Wriddhiman Saha hit the winning runs as GT registered a comprehensive 9-wicket win over RR.
Earlier, the Sanju Samson-led Rajasthan Royals won the toss and opted to bat first at home. Jason Holder made way for Adam Zampa in the eleven while the visitors remained unchanged from their previous game.
Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya made a statement immediately by dismissing Jos Buttler after being hit for back-to-back fours. The early wicket didn’t bother the in-form Yashasvi Jaiswal who smacked his first six of the innings with a stylish pick-up shot. The left-handed opener was joined by skipper Samson, who started confidently with the bat as well.
Just when RR batters picked up momentum with the bat, a superb Abhinav Manohar save and confusion between the batters put an end to Yashasvi Jaiswal’s knock. RR were pushed further into the back foot after Sanju Samson was dismissed by the opposition skipper Pandya, who plucked his second wicket.
Rashid Khan capitalised on the momentum and removed R Ashwin and Riyan Parag in quick succession with two outstanding deliveries. RR were 72/5 at the halfway mark of the innings. Noor Ahmed then entered the wicket-taking party by getting Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel out.
Abhinav Manohar wrapped up RR’s innings with a perfect direct-hit from the outfield as the home side were all out for 118.
Brief Scores: Gujarat Titans (Wriddhiman Saha 41*, Hardik Pandya 39*; Yuzvendra Chahal 1/22) beat Rajasthan Royals 118 (Sanju Samson 30; Rashid Khan 3/14, Noor Ahmad 2/25) by 9 wickets.
