Akash Madhwal's breathtaking bowling performance against Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator would have given five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians wings and they would be fancying their chances against defending champions Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 to be played in the world's largest stadium on Friday
Shubman Gill (Pic: @ipl/Twitter/BCCI)
Akash Madhwal's breathtaking bowling performance against Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator would have given five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians wings and they would be fancying their chances against defending champions Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 to be played in the world's largest stadium on Friday.
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Mumbai Indians, riding on magical figures of five for five produced by Madhwal at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Wednesday night, knocked out LSG from the race to the final with an 81-run win.
The massive MI victory was a warning to the rivals that they could lift their game according to the occasion even in the absence of star pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer and batting mainstay Tilak Varma.
GT vs MI: A brief overview
Mumbai pride themselves on thriving when the odds are stacked against them, something they have done throughout the season. Having finished last in the previous edition, Rohit Sharma's team has ground it out this season to remain in contention for a sixth IPL title even with limited resources.
The likes of Cameron Green, Suryakumar Yadav and Tim David have responded well to the challenges and now form the backbone of the batting department with the young Nehal Wadhera too making a huge impact, and the opening pair of Rohit and Ishan Kishan doing a fair job.
Also Read: Test of wits between 'skipper' Rohit vs 'successor' Pandya - who will beat whom?
It will be a stern test for the Titans' bowling attack, led by Mohammad Shami (26 wickets in 15 matches), to get the better of MI's batting, which has improved drastically towards the business end of the tournament.
Gujarat Titans, outclassed and outgunned in Qualifier 1 by Mahendra Singh Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings, will have one last chance to gather themselves up and put their best foot forward in familiar conditions here in order to qualify for their second IPL final on the trot.
It will be imperative for the defending champions that their batting clicks in unison, since Shubman Gill and Vijay Shankar have done bulk of the heavy lifting with the bat in the last few games.
Gill might have had an off day against CSK but his two centuries in the closing stages of the league round make him the biggest threat for Mumbai Indians.
GT vs MI: Dream11 Prediction
Wicketkeepers: Wriddhiman Saha
Batters: Suryakumar Yadav, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (vc), David Miller, Tilak Varma
All-rounders: Cameron Green (c)
Bowlers: Mohammad Shami, Rashid Khan, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal
GT vs MI: Full squads
Gujarat Titans: Hardik Pandya (c), Shubman Gill, David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Sai Sudharsan, Wriddhiman Saha, Matthew Wade, Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Vijay Shankar, Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Pradeep Sangwan, Darshan Nalkande, Jayant Yadav, R. Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad, Dasun Shanaka, Odean Smith, KS Bharat, Shivam Mavi, Urvil Patel, Joshua Little and Mohit Sharma.
Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (c), Chris Jordan, Arshad Khan, Jason Behrendorff, Dewald Brevis, Piyush Chawla, Tim David, Raghav Goyal, Cameron Green, Ishan Kishan (wk), Duan Jansen, Chris Jordan, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, Riley Meredith, Shams Mulani, Ramandeep Singh, Sandeep Warrier, Hrithik Shokeen, Tristan Stubbs, Arjun Tendulkar, Tilak Varma, Vishnu Vinod, Nehal Wadhera, Suryakumar Yadav.
GT vs MI: Predicted Playing XIs
Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Hardik Pandya (c), Vijay Shankar, David Miller, Abhinav Manohar/Dasun Shanaka, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mohit Sharma, Mohammad Shami.
Mumbai Indians: Ishan Kishan (wk), Rohit Sharma (c), Cameron Green, Suryakumar Yadav, Tim David, Nehal Wadhera, Tilak Varma, Piyush Chawla, Akash Madhwal, Kumar Kartikeya, Chris Jordan.
11:45 PM: GT beat MI by 62 runs
Gujarat Titans have made it to the finals for the second time in a row. In the second qualifier, they emerged victorious with a convincing 62-run margin. However, it is important not to be deceived by the difference in runs, as the Mumbai Indians (MI) kept up with the chase for a significant portion of the match. MI faced a setback even before the innings began when Ishan Kishan was ruled out. Additionally, their impact substitute Nehal Wadhera fell to Shami in the very first over. Shami struck again as Rohit miscued his pull shot towards fine leg. Tilak Varma, who came in next, played aggressively and scored an impressive 24 runs off a single over from Shami. However, he was eventually dismissed by Rashid in the final powerplay over.
11:39 PM: MI 161/7 (16)
Tim David's dismissal has left a void on the game. Facing Rashid Khan, he was deceived by a well-disguised googly that skidded and stayed low. Despite attempting a powerful backfoot swing, the ball managed to sneak underneath his bat. It struck him on the pads in line with the middle stump, leading to a clear lbw decision. Disappointed, David had to make his way back to the pavilion, losing the opportunity to contribute further to his team's total. In addition, his departure also resulted in the loss of a review for his team.
11:26 PM: MI 156/5 (15)
Suryakumar Yadav, the hopes of the MI team, is dismissed by a crucial delivery from Mohit Sharma. It was a devastating blow for Mumbai Indians, as they knew Suryakumar had the potential to lead them to victory. With a brave and accurate full delivery aimed at the stumps, Suryakumar attempted to ramp it over short fine, but unfortunately, he missed his shot. The ball struck his pads and dislodged the leg stump. Mohit Sharma, filled with gratitude, looked up to the heavens, acknowledging the role of a higher power in securing this crucial wicket.
11:20 PM: MI 134/4 (14)
Mohammed Shami hands over Vishnu Vinod the greatest lifeline he could have ever wished for, bowler Josh Little doesn't know what to do. Vinod skies an attempted pull shot, Shami gets underneath it, he is settled. But oh no, Shami misses it.
11:15 PM: MI 128/4 (12)
Green falls victim to Joshua Little's delivery, bowled out! It's a significant moment in the game. Little delivers a length ball aimed at the stumps, and it skids through while maintaining a slightly lower trajectory. Green attempts a cross-batted shot but misses as the ball sneaks under his bat and brushes the top of the leg stump.
11:05 PM: MI 124/3 (12)
The team that has clinched the championship five times has already been accounted for. However, they have unfortunately lost one too many wickets during this pursuit. It is imperative for Surya and Green to solidify their partnership for a bit longer and subsequently unleash their attacking prowess against the opposing bowlers in the concluding overs.
10:48 PM: MI 87/3 (9)
Much to the delight of Mumbai fans, Cameron Green steps onto the field, bringing hope to their team. However, there is no denying the challenging task ahead. The presence of Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmed on the bowling attack adds a significant obstacle to Mumbai's pursuit of runs.
10:37 PM: MI 72/3 (6)
Tilak Varma's innings comes to an end as Rashid Khan shatters the stumps! The delivery from Rashid Khan is bowled at 95.8kph. Tilak Varma, who has been in excellent form, attempts a forceful sweep shot but fails to connect with the ball entirely. As a result, the ball crashes into the stumps, leaving Tilak Varma disappointed. Despite his impressive performance thus far, he falls victim to the skillful leg-spinner, Rashid Khan. Tilak Varma departs after scoring a quickfire 43 runs off just 14 balls, including 5 boundaries and 3 sixes.
9:59 PM: MI 41/2 (4)
Cameron Green is retired hurt, Ishan Kishan is likely to be ruled out of rest of the match and Rohit is out. That leaves Mumbai Indians with just SKY. Can he do the magic today?
9:49 PM: MI 5/1 (0.5)
Nehal Wadhera falls victim to Shami's bowling prowess, caught by Saha! It's a quick and precise delivery from Shami, clocking at 139.6kph. He pitches it on a good length, angling it across the left-handed batsman. Nehal Wadhera attempts to pull the ball away but ends up getting a faint edge, which is safely taken by the wicketkeeper.
9:38 PM: GT 192/2 (17)
Shubman Gill's innings comes to an end as he is caught by Tim David! Tim David takes a clean catch! The delivery was full and angled in at a speed of 138.2kph. Gill attempted a wristy flick but ended up finding the fielder stationed at deep mid-wicket. Interestingly, it was David who had dropped Gill earlier when he was on 30, but this time he made no mistake and secured the catch with both hands. Gill looks disappointed as he wanted to continue his impressive innings. However, he walks off the field to a well-deserved standing ovation, marking the end of a brilliant knock.
9:28 PM: GT 183/1 (16)
What a delight it is to watch Gill bat! Once he crossed the 50-run mark, his performance has been nothing short of extraordinary. This year has undoubtedly belonged to him, and he shows no signs of slowing down. He's on a trajectory to surpass Kohli's impressive 973-run season in 2016. Now, the question remains: how many runs can the Titans accumulate from here?
9:19 PM: GT 148/1 (14.3)
Shubman Gill hits his third century of the season as he writes his name in the record book. He has put Gujarat on top with another extraordinary performance.
9:14 PM: GT 147/1 (14)
Madhawal stood out as the Man of the Match with his impressive five-wicket haul against LSG. Today, he finds himself facing one of the most promising talents in contemporary cricket. Gill is showcasing the epitome of cricketing elegance, treating the spectators to a captivating display of skill. Mumbai Indians are certainly not in control of this situation.
8:53 PM: GT 98/1 (11)
Another fifty for Gill as he almost confirms his Orange Cap for the season. His love affair with Ahmedabad continues.
8:42 PM: GT 54/1 (8)
Chawla delivered a wide ball to Saha, who made a costly mistake. Saha charged at the bowler prematurely, giving Chawla an opportunity to cleverly direct the ball down the leg side. Despite the batter obstructing his view, Ishan Kishan showcased excellent skills by moving to his left and cleanly gathering the ball. It appeared effortless as Kishan swiftly dislodged the bails. Saha, caught off guard, was unable to make contact with the ball, and his body position was not aligned as a second line of defense. Ishan's stumping was executed with nonchalant ease.
8:36 PM: GT 53/0 (6.2)
Shubman Gill attempted a powerful shot off Jordan's delivery in the second ball of the sixth over. The ball sailed through the air, creating a moment of anticipation. However, the fielder, Tim David, positioned himself to the right, leaped into the air, and managed to get both hands on the ball. Unfortunately, it hit his wrist and slipped out of his grasp.
8:29 PM: GT 27/0 (4)
Akash Madhwal was impressive in his first over but MI still searching for their first wicket. Jason Behrendorff has bowled two overs in first four and it is most likely to bowl at least three in the powerplay.
8:17 PM: GT 13/0 (2)
Gill has played two good shots in the first two overs to show what kind of form he is in. MI will want to take his wicket inside Powerplay.
8:00 PM: Match begins!
Gill-Saha begin proceedings for Gujarat Titans, Jason Behendroff attacks the stumps.
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