GT VS MI T20S

Right then, Gujarat Titans sprint back to the top of the table from P4 and Mumbai Indians have finally lost a game and their surreal run has ended in dramatic fashion. GT are probably just a win away from sealing a playoff place, whereas MI are still well and truly in the mix, especially given their Net Run Rate being pretty good. Next up, it is another crucial clash as Kolkata Knight Riders welcome Chennai Super Kings to Eden Gardens, in hopes of picking up two more points and keeping their fight alive. That game will be played on Wednesday, 7 May and will begin at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT), but you can join us a lot sooner as usual. Until then, take care and goodbye!

Shubman Gill, the captain of GT, is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his knock and his overall leadership. Gill says there was a bit of chaos when they walked out to bat after the rain delay, but a win always feels good.  Mentions that the plans in the Powerplay were contrasting, and with the energy around, it almost felt like a red-ball contest. Shares that they aimed to push the tempo after the Powerplay, but the stop-start nature of the rain made rhythm hard to find. With the match going down to the final ball, he believes every single effort counts. Feels that gritty wins like these are what help teams go deep in a tournament like the IPL. On Rashid Khan’s performance, he acknowledges how difficult it is to return from injury, but credits the leg-spinner’s work ethic in the nets and feels his display in this game is a great sign for the side. As for qualification talk, he admits such thoughts can creep in, but the team remains focused on taking it one game at a time.

The Presentation ceremony...

Gerald Coetzee, one of GT's heroes at the death, is in for a chat. Mentions that he adopts a simple 'see ball, hit ball' approach. Adds that he was clearly expecting a yorker from Chahar and the bouncer caught him by surprise. Shares that he loves to play hard, and that passion shines through in his celebrations. States that it’s been a great environment in the GT camp.

Hardik Pandya, the captain of Mumbai Indians, is down for a chat. He says they fought really well with the under-par total they got, and they kept on pushing as a group, but in the end, it was a game of small margins. He says it wasn’t a 150 wicket, it was clearly somewhere around 175 kind of wicket and they were 20 odd runs short. He is proud of the way the bowlers fought and kept on hitting the right areas. He feels catches didn’t cost them but maybe the no balls kind of cost them in the end. He feels it’s a crime to bowl no balls in this format and he feels it comes back to bite. He says, the outfield wasn’t wet in the 1st innings, but throughout their bowling innings, the outfield was wet and he is not sure if it helped or not but overall, it was difficult with the rain around, but he feels they tried hard.

Earlier in the game, Shubman Gill won the toss and put Mumbai Indians into bat. It was a stellar showing with the ball from GT as they kept on picking up wickets, barring that one big stand between Suryakumar Yadav and Will Jacks. GT dropped plenty of early catches, but roared back after breaking that stand and kept MI to a meagre total of 155 runs. It was certainly Rashid Khan's best showing with the ball this season, but every bowler picked up at least a wicket.

Mumbai Indians' run of 6 consecutive wins has come to an end in dramatic fashion and in the end, they would feel that they could have pulled off a win here as well. They didn't have the runs on the board but Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah bowled superbly at the start before others let it slip in the phase after the Powerplay. Hardik Pandya had to gamble and both his big guns, Boult and Bumrah delivered, bringing MI back into the game after Will Jacks' one over had cost them the lead in terms of the DLS score. In the end, they had to come out for one over whilst being ahead in terms of DLS and Deepak Chahar simply couldn't hold his nerves. It wasn't going to be easy with the wet ball and an extra fielder inside the ring but the over bowled by Chahar was pretty ordinary as well.

156 to win and Gujarat Titans would have taken it before a ball was played. However, they started in a shaky fashion with Sai Sudharsan getting out in the 2nd over. Then, the two stalwarts, Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler, added on a stand worth 72 runs, taking GT from a slow start into a position of promise. Things changed quickly as we had a rain stoppage and then GT lost 4 wickets in the space of less than 4 overs. They even found themselves 5 runs short of the DLS par score when there was another pause in play at the end of the 18th over. There was enough time for one over and the lower order managed to get the job done in a game, where for the first time, none of the GT's top three managed to bat until at least the 17th over. That middle order was tested but apart from Rutherford's crucial cameo, the rest didn't manage to step up in the time of need and were bailed out by the lower order.

GUJARAT TITANS GO TOP OF THE TABLE! A game that had it all! A topsy-turvy first innings that ended in GT's favour and then the rain played hide and seek in the chase before eventually bringing a halt to proceedings after the end of the 14th over. Things resumed after about 25 minutes and we got further twists in the tale as GT lost wickets in a heap. MI crept ahead in terms of DLS and it seemed like the game won't resume after the 2nd rain delay, but the stars aligned for GT. They managed to bat for one more over, needing 15 runs for the win and a boundary from Rahul Tewatia followed by a six from Gerald Coetzee sealed the deal.

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT? The GT dug-out goes wild in celebration as Arshad Khan pumps his fist in the air after managing to scamper through for the decisive single and the Titans have stolen it at the very end!

Direct hit missed and GT get over the line! Deepak Chahar goes full and straight, at the stumps from over the wicket, Arshad Khan pushes it in front of mid off and sets off for the run. The ball goes straight to Hardik Pandya at mid off. He picks it up cleanly and has all three stumps to aim at. He has more time than he thinks he has and fires in a throw at the bowling end. Arshad was not even in the frame but Hardik misses the target. Suryakumar Yadav tries to get up to the stumps at the bowling end but does not manage to do so in time.

Arshad Khan walks in to face the final delivery.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Another twist! Gerald Coetzee goes for the glory shot and perishes in the process! The equation is down to 1 needed off 1 ball. A tie will take us to a Super Over. Deepak Chahar digs it in short, over middle, Gerald Coetzee tries to unleash the pull but gets more height than distance on it. Skies it up towards deep square leg where Naman Dhir takes a safe catch.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Another twist! Gerald Coetzee goes for the glory shot and perishes in the process! The equation is down to 1 needed off 1 ball. A tie will take us to a Super Over. Deepak Chahar digs it in short, over middle, Gerald Coetzee tries to unleash the pull but gets more height than distance on it. Skies it up towards deep square leg where Naman Dhir takes a safe catch.

Scores are level! Low full toss, on middle, Rahul Tewatia gets low and swipes it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Chahar manages to execute the yorker this time, on middle, Gerald Coetzee backs away to slam it down the ground. Gets an inside edge towards deep fine leg for a single. Uh oh, the siren goes off for NO BALL. It could not have come at a worse time for MI. 2 needed off 3 balls. Free Hit coming up.

SIX! BANG! Gerald Coetzee with a crucial strike for GT! Deepak Chahar misses his mark as he goes searching for the yorker. Serves it in the slot, on off, Gerald gets under the ball and tonks it over long off for a biggie. 4 needed off 3 now for the Titans.

Chahar responds well! Gets the yorker in around the off stump, Rahul Tewatia squeezes it out in front of extra cover for a single. 10 runs needed off 4 balls for GT.