Gujarat Titans (GT) secured an impressive 34-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in match number 62 of IPL 2023, thanks to a magnificent century from Shubman Gill and outstanding performances by Mohammed Shami and Mohit Sharma. The win confirmed GT's top-two finish in the points table, while SRH's hopes of making it to the playoffs were dashed.
After winning the toss, SRH opted to field first. Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck early by dismissing Wriddhiman Saha for a duck. However, Gill and Sai Sudharsan formed a formidable partnership of 147 runs for the second wicket. Gill's brilliant knock of 101 off 58 deliveries included 13 fours and a six. In the last over, Marco Jansen removed Sudharsan, and GT's innings concluded with a total just shy of 200 after quick dismissals of Hardik Pandya, David Miller, and Rahul Tewatia by Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
During the chase, SRH faced a disastrous start, losing half their team for just 45 runs within the first seven overs. Shami claimed the wicket of Anmolpreet Singh, while Yash Dayal dismissed Abhishek Sharma. Shami further dismissed Rahul Tripathi, and Mohit Sharma contributed with the dismissals of Sanvir Singh, Abdul Samad, and Marco Jansen in quick succession. At 59/7, a swift victory seemed imminent for GT. However, Heinrich Klaasen and Bhuvneshwar staged a remarkable fightback, adding 68 runs for the eighth wicket to prevent SRH from being bowled out.
Shubman Gill, named the Player of the Match, expressed his satisfaction with his century against SRH, the team he made his IPL debut against. He emphasized the importance of focusing on the situation at hand rather than dwelling on past innings. Gill also mentioned his delight in hitting a six off Abhishek Sharma, stating that he had conveyed his intention to the bowler beforehand.
