GT vs LSG: Hardik Pandya‘s team Gujarat Titans cut their playoffs ticket in their very first season. After losing two consecutive matches, Gujarat Titans made a strong comeback by defeating Lucknow Supergiants by 62 runs in the match played on Tuesday to make it to the IPL playoffs. The Gujarat team, captained by Hardik Pandya, playing for the first time in the IPL, has been the first to get a playoff ticket. It is his 9th win in 12 matches. The same Lucknow has to face the fourth defeat in 12 matches.
The second-lowest score of the season
In the match, Gujarat won the toss and batted first, thanks to the innings of Shubman Gill (63 not out), with that Gujarat scored 144 runs for 4-wickets in 20 overs. In reply, in front of Rashid Khan (4 for 24), Lucknow’s team was bundled out for just 82 runs in 13.5 overs, it is the second-lowest score of this season. Earlier, RCB could only score 68 runs against Hyderabad.
Poor batting from Lucknow
The Lucknow batsmen looked helpless in front of Yash Dayal, and R Sai Kishore. Their seven batsmen could not even touch the double-figure. Quinton de Kock contributed 11, Deepak Hooda scored 27, and Avesh Khan contributed 12 runs. Captain Lokesh Rahul could only score 8-runs. Earlier, Gujarat opener Shubman Gill scored his fourth half-century of this season.
Hardik, after the team’s 62-run victory
“The way everyone batted, especially Shubman, I had a feeling that after scoring 145 (144 runs), we will have a good chance. I think their bowlers bowled a little short. Good results were coming on full-length balls. The only thing we talked about in the group was that they can score runs on just two shots if you bowl a lot of full-lengths, then on cover drives, and if you bowl away from the wicket.”
Hardik said, “The bowlers performed as expected and we did not commit any mistake. Qualifying before the 14th match is great, it’s a great effort and we are proud of ourselves. I spoke with my teammates about the last match before taking the field. I think we were under pressure in every match we won. The last match was the only match in which we were in good shape and with the kind of batsmen we had, we should have won that match. but that did not happen.”
Today’s match: Delhi needs a win against Rajasthan Royals
The performance of Delhi Capitals this season of IPL has been very fluctuating. Delhi wins one match and loses the next. It is clear from this that there is a big lack of consistency in the team. Delhi will clash with Rajasthan Royal in the match to be played on Wednesday. In this match, Rajasthan will be eyeing to ease the way to the playoffs by registering a win. While Delhi would like to get back on the winning track.