Gujarat Titans (GT) endured a nightmare outing in the 32nd match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, slumping to a heavy six-wicket defeat against Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Put in to bat first, the Titans’ innings unravelled spectacularly from the outset. A disciplined bowling attack from the Capitals ripped through the top order, reducing them to a paltry 30/4 by the end of the powerplay. The home side never managed to recover from this early onslaught, eventually being dismissed for a mere 89 runs in 17.3 overs. This score becomes the lowest total for Gujarat Titans in their IPL history. Rashid Khan offered some resistance with a valuable 31 runs off 24 balls, but otherwise, the batting lineup failed to click. Mukesh Kumar emerged as the wrecker-in-chief for the visitors, claiming three wickets for just 14 runs. Tristan Stubbs and Ishant Sharma ably supported him with two wickets apiece, while Khaleel Ahmed and Axar Patel chipped in with a wicket each.
Chasing a paltry target, Prithvi Shaw and Jake Fraser-McGurk provided the visitors with a brisk start. While the home team managed to take four wickets, their bowling attack lacked the sting to completely derail the chase. Fraser-McGurk threatened to take the game away early, but a timely wicket from Spencer Johnson and a double strike from Sandeep Warrier brought the Titans some respite. However, with an eye on boosting their net run rate, the Delhi-based franchise continued to play aggressively. They eventually chased down the target in just 8.5 overs, inflicting a crushing defeat on the home side.
This comprehensive victory propels Rishabh Pant and co. up to sixth place in the points table, with their superior net run rate providing a significant advantage. Conversely, the Ahemdabad-based franchise finds themselves slipping further down the table, now languishing in seventh place with just three wins from seven games.
Scorecard:
Gujarat Titans: 89, Overs 17.3, Rashid Khan 31, Mukesh Kumar 3/14
Delhi Capitals: 92-4, Overs 8.5, Jake Fraser-McGurk 20, Sandeep Warrier 2/40