In the 70th and the last league fixture of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, Gujarat Titans (GT) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by six wickets at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. RCB have now got out of the tournament, and now Mumbai Indians (MI) have crossed the hurdle for the playoffs.
GT skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss and elected to bowl first, but the city of Bengaluru witnessed Virat Kohli’s greatness, as he scored his consecutive second century of this season, which helped RCB to put up a strong total of 197/5.
While chasing, GT also went with a flying start, but Wriddhiman Saha (12) got out in the third over by Mohammed Siraj, but tonight, if it was King Kohli’s classic in the first innings, then in the second turn, it was Shubman Gill (104)*, who is also profoundly known as the “Prince” of Indian cricket, had made a glorious ton which had five fours and eight sixes. He also made his second century of this season. He was right in charge from the beginning, where he had built a crucial partnership of 123 runs with Vijay Shankar (53), which had given the Ahmedabad-based franchise an upper hand in this encounter.
This was the second instance in the history of the league, where the two centuries have been hit from both sides. The first time it was getting done in this season only. Gujarat chased the total, with five balls to spare.
With the ball for RCB, Siraj claimed two wickets, whereas Vijaykumar Vyshak and Harshal Patel got one wicket each.
In the first innings, the Bengaluru-based side started very well once again, as the captain Faf du Plessis (28) and Kohli (101)* once again knit an opening partnership of 67 runs, before the Afghani chinaman, Noor Ahmad dismissed du Plessis in the eighth over. Glenn Maxwell (11) showed some glimpse of his blitz, but it did not go long as the leg spinner Rashid Khan got him out in the ninth over. The wickets started to fall in quick succession, as the young southpaw batter, Mahipal Lomror (1) got out as well. The Ahmedabad-based team started to make the inroads, but the Kiwi batter Michael Bracewell (26) contributed with his bat by hitting some crucial runs, and along with Kohli, he builds a 47 runs partnership, which did not let the home side get derailed, but Mohammed Shami got rid of him. Once again, the responsibility of the Bengaluru’s innings was on the former skipper’s shoulders, and the king Kohli stood once again with his head held high, and smashed his seventh IPL century, which had 13 fours and one six. With this ton, now he has the highest number of centuries in the history of this marquee league.
With the ball for GT, Noor scalped two wickets, and on the other side, Rashid, Shami, and Yash Dayal got one wicket each.
For his imperious knock of 104 runs, Shubman Gill was adjudged Player of the Match.
Scorecard:
Royal Challengers Bangalore: 197/5, Overs 20, Virat Kohli 101*, Noor Ahmad 2/39
Gujarat Titans: 198/4, Overs 19.1, Shubman Gill 104, Mohammed Siraj 2/32