In the 48th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, Gujarat Titans (GT) beat Rajasthan Royals (RR) by nine wickets at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. With this imperious victory, GT consolidated their first spot by securing 14 points and a strong run rate in the points table.
RR captain Sanju Samson won the toss and elected to bat first. The Jaipur-based side had a terrible day in the office with the bat, as no batters were able to perform well to score a formidable total. GT’s Afghani leg-spin duo, Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad rattled up the batting lineup, with their sensational spells. Samson (30) was the only highest scorer for RR. The Royals could not be able to finish their 20 overs quota, got all out, and scored 118 runs. This was the lowest score of Rajasthan at their home venue, Jaipur.
In response, it was a cakewalk chase for the Ahmedabad-based franchise. Both Shubman Gill (36) and Wriddhiman Saha (41)* gave a terrific start to the Titans, which nullified the chance of RR to create a sniff for a comeback. Rajasthan drew the first blood in the 10th over, as Yuzvendra Chahal dismissed Gill, but it was not enough for the home side, as the opening partnership of 71 runs had dented all hopes of a comeback. The defending champions were already on the driving seat in this easy chase, and an explosive knock from the skipper Hardik (39)* cruised GT into a massive nine-wicket win by chasing 119 runs within 13.5 overs.
RR bowlers did not have that total, which they could able to defend. Chahal was the only bowler who got a wicket in the second innings.
In the first innings, the hosts had a shaky start, as they lost Jos Buttler (8) in the second over. He was dismissed by Pandya. Skipper Samson and the southpaw batter and last match centurion, Yashasvi Jaiswal (14) got the responsibility to stable the innings. Both of them started to score runs with the boundaries and try to gain momentum, but it did not go long, as Jaiswal got run out the in the sixth over. Sanju too was not able to convert his start and got out in the seventh over by the Irish left-arm pacer, Joshua Little. After the introduction of the spinners, Rashid and Noor from both ends, the batters got stuck and were giving their wickets in regular intervals, and this derailed the batting line-up, and got all out by scoring 118 runs in 17.5 overs.
In the first innings, GT bowlers had a fantastic day. Rashid Khan was the star with the ball, as he delivered a match-winning spell, where he got three wickets. Noor Ahmad also got two wickets. Mohammed Shami, Little, and Hardik claimed one wicket each.
For his sensational spell, Rashid Khan was adjudged Player of the Match, as he claimed three wickets, by spending 14 runs in his four overs quota.
Scorecard:
Rajasthan Royals: 118/10, Overs 17.5, Sanju Samson 30, Rashid Khan 3/14
Gujarat Titans: 119/1, Overs 13.5, Wriddhiman Saha 41*, Yuzvendra Chahal 1/22