In the 23rd match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, the defending champions, Gujarat Titans (GT) will host the finalist of last season, Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad today i.e. Sunday, April 16 at 7:30 PM IST.
Gujarat Titans have only lost one of their four games this season. Since the loss was also one of the most historic ones in IPL history, supporters are aware that beating GT requires more than just average effort. The crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium will be anxious to see their team recover from the mayhem in which Rinku Singh stole the game. Notwithstanding this, the Hardik Pandya-led team has prevailed since, defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Mohali courtesy of Shubman Gill‘s heroics.
Despite not having a strong and deep partnership, Gujarat has scored 50 runs in the powerplay for the last three games in a row. Pandya will play an important role in the middle order despite the fact that he hasn’t been able to hit the ball well in his most recent appearances. Gujarat is one of the top teams in the IPL this year and boasts a tonne of batting resources. Even with the ball, Mohammad Shami, Alzarri Joseph, and Rashid Khan will be the main bowlers to keep an eye on.
On the other hand, after weathering the MS Dhoni storm in the team’s last game at Chepauk, a relieved Sanju Samson will now aim to capture another fortress. In the match against CSK, Sandeep Sharma’s stunning yorker under pressure on the final delivery gave the Royals their third victory of the season. Devdutt Paddikal batted at number three in place of Riyan Parag in the previous game, scoring 38 runs off 26 balls. He was also part of a 77-run partnership for the second wicket with Jos Buttler.
For this game against GT, Shimron Hetmyer will be another vital batter in Rajasthan’s lower middle order who will be projected to complete the game. In the lower order, he will be joined by Ravichandran Ashwin and Dhruv Jurel. The bowling onslaught will present the hosts with a difficult test. Yuzvendra Chahal, Adam Zampa, and Ashwin will be vital bowlers to keep an eye on. While Jason Holder has gone wicketless in the last two games, Sandeep’s expertise will come in handy under pressure.
Head-to-Head:
The two teams met three times in the previous season, with GT winning all three games. In their last outing, which took place in the finals of the IPL 2022, the Titans won by seven wickets.
Where-to-watch:
TV: Star Sports Network
OTT: JioCinema