Sunrisers Hyderabad scored 162/8 in 20 overs, where as Gujarat Titans scored 168/3 in 19.1 overs.
So, finally Gujarat Titans beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 7 wickets.
A disciplined bowling performance combined with a collective effort with the bat, highlighted by David Miller’s resurgence, propelled Gujarat Titans to a remarkable comeback from their loss against Chennai Super Kings.
They clinched a commanding seven-wicket victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday (March 31).
Despite the formidable batting lineup of SRH, they were contained to 162/8.
Gujarat Titans chased down the target in 19.1 overs, with Sai Sudharsan (45 off 36) and Miller (44* off 27) leading the charge.
Notably, no player managed to score an individual fifty in the match, extending GT’s quest for a half-century this season.
In a game characterized by a slow pitch with boundary opportunities scarce, the task of taking Gujarat Titans over the line fell on Miller’s shoulders.
With 49 runs required from the last five overs and Miller struggling at 13 off 16, the challenge seemed daunting.
However, Miller’s prowess in run-chases is well-known, boasting three fifties and an average of over 56 in second innings since IPL 2021.
Drawing from this wealth of experience, he steered GT towards victory.
Miller orchestrated a crucial 64-run partnership off 42 balls with Sudharsan, notably accumulating 24 runs in a pivotal over bowled by Mayank Markande.
His aggressive stroke play, including two fours and a six, along with Sudharsan’s timely contributions, reduced the equation to 25 runs off four overs.
Despite Sudharsan’s dismissal in the 17th over, Miller continued to anchor the innings, finding support from Vijay Shankar, who struck two vital fours off Jaydev Unadkat.
Although the 19th over yielded only six runs bowled by Cummins, GT required just a solitary run in the final over.
Displaying his grit and determination, an injured Miller sealed the victory with a resounding six off Unadkat, effectively concluding the match in style.
In the initial phase of the chase, Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill provided a dynamic start for SRH, aiming to maximize their scoring opportunities within the powerplay.
The openers collectively struck two boundaries, with Saha adding two sixes to his tally – one off Shahbaz and another off Unadkat.
A strategic change saw the left-arm spinner switching ends, which proved effective as Saha handed a straightforward catch to mid-on in the same over.
However, Gill managed to unleash a powerful shot over extra cover for his first six.
Additionally, Sudharsan contributed with a boundary off Bhuvneshwar Kumar as SRH concluded the powerplay at 52/1.
SRH spinners effectively applied the brakes on GT’s scoring momentum as Markande and Washington Sundar operated in tandem, successfully restricting boundaries for several overs.
However, Gill managed to find a boundary off Washington before falling victim to Markande in the subsequent over, unable to clear Samad at long-on.
This dismissal left GT at 78/2 at the halfway mark.
In the 11th over, SRH captain Cummins entered the attack and conceded just five runs, further tightening the screws on GT’s batting lineup.
As the boundaries became scarce once again, Sudharsan broke free by driving one over Unadkat’s head for a crucial four and then followed it up with a well-placed shot past short third man off Cummins.
Bhuvneshwar’s economical spell in the 15th over yielded only six runs, pushing the required run rate close to 10.
However, Miller rose to the occasion, handling the pressure admirably to guide GT to victory in the end.
SRH commenced their innings in a manner reminiscent of their previous game, with Travis Head and Mayank Agarwal laying the foundation by notching up five boundaries between them.
However, Agarwal’s dismissal while attempting the pull shot for the third consecutive innings, this time to Azmatullah Omarzai, halted their momentum.
Despite this setback, Abhishek Sharma, who showcased his blistering form with the fastest half-century for SRH in the preceding match, continued his fine run by dispatching two sixes off Rashid Khan.
This flurry of boundaries propelled SRH to a commanding 56/1 at the conclusion of the powerplay.
The deceleration in SRH’s scoring rate was primarily attributed to the slowing nature of the pitch as the innings progressed, allowing GT to exploit this condition to their advantage.
They utilized their spinners effectively and incorporated change-ups in pace from the seamers to impose pressure on the batting side.
Noor Ahmad made a significant impact by dismissing Head for 19 runs and delivering tight overs in conjunction with Rashid Khan.
Abhishek Sharma utilized the Decision Review System (DRS) to overturn a caught-behind decision, momentarily breaking a drought of boundaries that persisted for 20 deliveries.
However, his innings came to an end due to a well-executed change of pace by Mohit Sharma, resulting in a catch at cover.
With Aiden Markram struggling to find his rhythm, Heinrich Klaasen attempted to inject some impetus into the innings by smashing a couple of sixes off Noor.
Unfortunately, Klaasen’s aggressive approach led to his dismissal, bowled by Rashid while trying to play across the line.
Shortly thereafter, Markram fell victim to Umesh Yadav.
Abdul Samad provided a brief resurgence for SRH, concluding the 15th over with two boundaries, which propelled SRH to a total of 122/5.
In a standout performance amidst GT’s tight bowling, Abdul Samad showcased his batting prowess for SRH.
Darshan Nalkande, making his first appearance of the season, delivered an economical 16th over, conceding just six runs.
Samad demonstrated his hitting ability by dispatching a boundary off the last ball from Rashid Khan, followed by a six off Mohit Sharma.
Additionally, he received a stroke of luck when Umesh Yadav dropped him in the deep off Nalkande’s bowling, and the same bowler was also dispatched for a six by Shahbaz Ahmed.
Mohit Sharma provided the finishing touches for GT, claiming the wickets of Shahbaz and impact substitute Washington Sundar.
Unfortunately for SRH, Samad was run out off the final delivery, with only three runs coming off the last over.
Despite Samad’s valiant efforts, GT managed to restrict SRH’s scoring opportunities effectively.
What’s next on the horizon?
GT will continue their campaign in Ahmedabad as they gear up to encounter Punjab Kings in their third home fixture on April 4.
Meanwhile, SRH will return to their home ground in Hyderabad for their next clash against CSK on April 5.
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