Both Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. GT captain Shubman Gill set them a challenge and decided to chase the target. Their bowlers, Mohammed Siraj and Arshad Khan, did an excellent job in the powerplay, conceding just 28 runs. Khan even took Faf Du Plessis’ wicket. However, KL Rahul capitalized on the last over of the powerplay, scoring 17 runs against the returning Kagiso Rabada.
Rahul and Abishek Porel stitched together a good partnership, taking Delhi’s score past 100 in 12 overs. However, after the young left-hander got out after playing a fine innings of 30 off just 18 balls, the responsibility of taking the score to a competitive total fell on Rahul. DC captain Axar Patel and Tristan Stubbs played good supporting innings of 25 and 21, respectively, but the true hero was Rahul, who scored his 5th century in the IPL. Thanks to his 112, Delhi posted a total of 200.
Chasing anything above 200 is always tough on any pitch. However, the crowd in Delhi witnessed something they had never seen before. GT’s openers, Gill and Sai Sudarshan, played the innings of their lives and chased down the target without losing a single wicket. What was even more impressive was that the dynamic duo achieved the chase with one over to spare.
Delhi’s bowling woes were evident in Mitchell Starc’s absence. No bowler was able to dismiss either Gill or Sudharsan. While captain Axar conceded 35 runs in his 3 overs, Kuldeep Yadav gave away 37 runs in his spell. With this win, not only did GT qualify for the playoffs, but PBKS and RCB also secured their spots. It looks like it’s going to be the Mumbai Indians against DC for the 4th playoff spot.
Fans react to Gujarat Titans’ dominant victory over struggling Delhi Capitals
Cricket fans expected a run-fest between these two teams, and that’s exactly what they got. It’s safe to say that they were thoroughly entertained, as over 400 runs were scored in the match. Many fans believe this was GT’s best performance of the season.
One fan called Gill and Sudharsan’s performance ‘heroic’ and said they were the best opening pair in the IPL. Another fan agreed and predicted that the duo might soon play for India together. Some fans joked about how Rahul’s century was a bad omen for his team. Here are some of the reactions from the fans:
One user commented that Delhi was back in its ‘choking’ era. Another was shocked to see that GT didn’t need Jos Buttler to chase a 200+ target. Some fans, although they appreciated the batting performance, said that the true test would come in the finals. Others believed that the Capitals were practically knocked out of the tournament.
