Mumbai : Gujarat Titans defeated Chennai Super Kings by three wickets in an IPL match here on Sunday.
Invited to bat, CSK posted 169 for five, riding on Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 48-ball 73 and Ambati Ruyudu’s 46 off 31 balls.
In reply, David Miller smashed an unbeaten 51-ball 94, while stand-in skipper Rashid Khan slammed a 21-ball 40 as GT chased down the total with one ball to spare.
Earlier, Gaikwad returned to form with a scintillating innings, which was studded with five sixes and as many fours, while Rayudu had four hits to the fence and two maximums.
For GT, Alzarri Joseph (2/34) took two wickets, while Mohammed Shami (1/20) and Yash Dayal (1/40) claimed one each.
David Miller, Player of the Match, said, ‘I have been really working hard on my fitness. It does take me back to memory lane [referring to the innings he played for KXIP], it was sort of play my game, see ball hit ball, with the rate already quite high, I wanted to express myself. It came off tonight and pretty chuffed with the innings.
Getting in with the position at 16/3 gives me an opportunity to shine, doesn’t happen too often but when the ball was new it helps. Releases a lot of pressure, needed someone to help out at the back end. Exceptional over, in my opinion that over was the game-changer and he struck it beautifully [on Rashid Khan’s batting]. The first couple of games we got over the line with close wins, we could’ve probably lost 4 out of 6 rather than win 5 of 6. The dice rolled on our side and hopefully it continues going forward.’
Rashid Khan, Winning skipper said, ‘ It’s an amazing feeling in IPL, it’s a dream come true to lead the team, and delivering that is something special. Just that we wanted to take the game deep. We were capable of chasing 90 runs in the last 7 overs, and that was the plan.
We were trying to take the game as deep as possible. I haven’t batted in the first 5 games, that was the discussion, so I wanted to take the responsibility. We wanted two batters to score big, I just had a discussion with Miller and we tried to strike the ball hard. I needed to step up and take the responsibility, just wanted to back myself and that was the plan.’
Ravindra Jadeja, losing captain, said, ‘We started brilliantly, as a bowling unit we did well in the first 6 overs. When we were batting, the wicket was holding up a bit. The ball was gripping, but we didn’t execute our plans in the last 5 overs. I thought CJ could execute his yorkers, but he couldn’t do so. That’s the beauty of T20 cricket.’
Abhinav Manohar, said, ‘Miller played a blinder, and so did Rashid. I was sitting in the same place, I didn’t move. It was a great team effort today. Lots of pressure for Rashid today, he bowled well. There is no pressure from the management, I just want to go out there and express myself, so I am enjoying myself.’