Chennai and Gujarat locked horns in the 62nd game of the Indian T20 League 2022 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. After winning the toss, the defending champions elected to bat first. The team had a poor start as in-form Devon Conway (5) was caught by Wriddhiman Saha off Mohammed Shami in the third over. Moeen Ali came in and stitched a partnership of 57 runs with Ruturaj Gaikwad.
The partnership was built in just 6.3 overs before Ali (21) was caught at deep midwicket by Rashid Khan off Sai Kishore. After this wicket, debutant Narayan Jagadeeshan joined Gaikwad in the middle. It was expected that he, alongside Gaikwad will up the scoring rate. On the contrary, the duo stitched a partnership of 48 runs in 7.2 overs, which means that the scoring rate per over was just above six.
Gaikwad scored 53 off 48 balls with a meagre strike rate of 108.16. Such was his struggle at his crease that he could hit only four fours and a six, which makes for 22 runs in five balls. He was caught at deep midwicket by Matthew Wade off Rashid Khan on the last ball of the 16th over. Three balls later, Shivam Dube (0) was caught behind by Saha off Alzarri Joseph on a vicious bouncer. Skipper MS Dhoni (7) couldn’t do much as was caught at midwicket by Yash Dayal off Shami in the last over of the innings.
The team ended up with 133/5 on the board. For Gujarat, the Shami took two wickets while Khan, Joseph, and Kishore took one each. In reply, the Hardik Pandya-led side got off to a great start. Openers Shubman Gill and Saha stitched a partnership of 59 off just seven overs. On the first ball of the eighth over, debutant Matheesha Pathirana trapped Gill (18) lbw.
Wade came in and scored a 15-ball 20 before he was caught at long-on by Dube off Ali. Two overs later, Pathirana took his second wicket in the form of Pandya (7), who was caught at mid-off by Dube with the score reading 100/3. The likes of Saha (67*) and David Miller (15*) took the team over the line with five balls to spare and seven wickets in hand.
This is how Twitter reacted
The year is 2045. Gujarat Titans have won 23 consecutive IPL titles without losing a game. We all secretly still think they're a bit rubbish
— Ben Jones (@benjonescricket) May 15, 2022
Almost no discomfort for @gujarat_titans so far. @Wriddhipops another senior wicket keeper looking very promising, this should be easy for them. #CSKvGT #IPL2022
— Reema Malhotra (@ReemaMalhotra8) May 15, 2022
Add to the memoirs of young one’s this #IPL2022 – Pathirana joins Dewald Brevis in the wicket of the first ball club. Both 19, both promising. The future should be fun .. #CSKvsGT
— Jatin Sapru (@jatinsapru) May 15, 2022
Slowest Delivery of the match. Most dot balls bowled in the match. I would like these two awards to be added in the IPL. Spinners ko bhi awards jeetne ka mauka milna chahiye…and we should appreciate the importance of dot balls too. Thoughts? #SeriousSuggestion
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) May 15, 2022
Love ypu Saha #CSKvsGT
— रोहित जà¥à¤—लान Rohit Juglan (@rohitjuglan) May 15, 2022
💛 Loved playing with you on both occasions, @ChennaiIPL! Must admit, will miss the #Thalaivar and #Thalapathy GIFs in our mentions in the playoffs without you 😀 See you as pazhaiya Annamalai next year! 💪ðŸ½
— Gujarat Titans (@gujarat_titans) May 15, 2022
Wriddhiman Saha's fourth IPL fifty ✅
Second win over CSK in IPL 2022 ✅
A guaranteed top 2 finish ✅GT defeated CSK by 7 wickets and secured their position in the first qualifier of IPL 2022 👊💪#WriddhimanSaha #IPL2022 #CSKvsGT #Cricket pic.twitter.com/ZYORrRgsU4
— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) May 15, 2022
Gujarat Titans confirms top 2 spot in IPL 2022.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 15, 2022
Another good win for @gujarat_titans! Top bowling as a unit and @Wriddhipops made sure the win was never out of reach! #GTvCSK #IPL2022
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) May 15, 2022
Assured of Qualifier 1 when no other team had qualified for Playoffs yet
2015 – Chennai Super Kings
2020 – Mumbai Indians
2022 – Gujarat Titans— Krishna Kumar (@KrishnaKRM) May 15, 2022