CSK Vs GT: First match of IPL 2023, Gill’s half-century helped Titans beat Dhoni’s Superkings by five wickets

Opener Shubman Gill’s half-century helped defending champions Gujarat Titans start their campaign in the Indian Premier League 2023 with a win, defeating Chennai Super Kings by five wickets here on Friday.Chasing the Super Kings’ target of 179, Gujarat’s team won by scoring 182 for five with four balls to spare from Gill’s (63 off 36) half-century, which is his third win in three matches against this team. .Earlier, the Superkings scored 178 runs for seven wickets with the half-century of opener Ruturaj Gaikwad (92 runs in 50 balls, nine sixes, four fours). Apart from him, only Moeen Ali (23) could cross the 20-run mark. For Gujarat, leg-spinner Rashid Khan took 26, Mohammed Shami took 29 while Alzarri Joseph took two wickets for 33 runs.The Super Kings were the first to use the IPL’s new ‘Impact Player’ rule, replacing Gujarat’s Ambati Rayudu with Tushar Deshpande (1/51) at the start of the innings. In the second over of the innings itself, Wriddhiman Saha hit Deshpande for a six and a four while Shubman Gill also hit a four.Saha hit debutant Rajvardhan Hengargekar (3 for 36) for a four but was caught by Shivam Dubey at third man off the same fast bowler. He scored 25 runs.Gujarat also made use of an ‘impact player’, fielding Sai Sudarshan in place of Kane Williamson who was injured while fielding. Gill hit a four and a six in Deshpande’s next over. Gujarat scored 65 runs for one wicket in the power play. Gill and Sudarshan hit two fours each on Mitchell Santner. Sudarshan (22), however, caught Dhoni in an attempt to tamper with the ball going out of the off side of Hengargekar.Gill took the team’s score past 100 runs in the 11th over with consecutive fours and sixes off Jadeja and then completed his half-century in 30 balls with a single off Santner.Jadeja tried to get the Superkings back by bowling Gujarat captain Hardik Pandya (08). Gill was lucky on 57 when Gaikwad dropped his catch off Deshpande and the ball went for six runs. However, he could not take advantage of this lifeline and caught Gaikwad on the next ball.Gujarat needed 41 runs to win in the last five overs but only 11 runs were scored in the next two overs. The Gujarat team now needed 30 runs in three overs. Vijay Shankar (27) hit Hengrekar for a six but was caught by Devon Conway at long-off a ball later. Only seven runs were scored in this over as well.Rashid Khan (10 not out) gave Gujarat the upper hand in the 19th over with consecutive sixes and fours off Chahar. Gujarat needed eight runs off Deshpande’s last over and Rahul Tewatia (15 not out) hit sixes and fours in consecutive balls to seal the win.Earlier, Pandya won the toss and decided to bowl and Shami bowled Devon Conway (01) in the third over itself. Gaikwad looked in good touch from the start. After hitting Pandya for two fours, he welcomed left-arm fast bowler Josh Little with fours and sixes in consecutive balls.Moin also hit two fours and a six in Shami’s over. Moin brought the team’s score to 50 runs in the sixth over with a four on Rashid but was caught by wicketkeeper Saha on the next ball. In the next over, Rashid also caught Ben Stokes (07) by the hands of Saha to score Superkings 70 for three. Gaikwad hit Pandya for two consecutive sixes and then Joseph with three sixes to complete his half-century in just 23 balls.Gaikwad completed the team’s hundred in the 11th over with a six over Little. Ambati Rayudu (12) edged Yash Dayal into the onlookers but was bowled by Little to claim his maiden IPL wicket.Shivam Dubey was completely out of touch and the team took the brunt of his slow batting by losing the wicket of Gaikwad, who was caught by Gill on Joseph’s full toss. Ravindra Jadeja (01) also caught Vijay Shankar at the boundary in the same over. Dubey (19) hit Shami for a six but waved the next ball in the air and caught Rashid. Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (14 not out in seven balls) brought the score close to 180 runs by hitting sixes and fours in consecutive balls of Little in the last over.