IPL 2023: GT skipper Hardik Pandya lauds Shubman Gill for match-winning ton against RCB

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 22 (ANI): Following his side’s six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match, Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper Hardik Pandya lauded Shubman Gill for his match-winning knock, saying that he did not give bowlers a chance.

Shubman Gill’s extraordinary century outshined Virat Kohli’s classic knock of 101 runs to help Gujarat Titans (GT) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 6 wickets in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 match here at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.
“The calmness which the boys had was terrific. We wanted to keep the momentum going. We have ticked a lot of boxes. (On Gill) He knows when he plays those cricketing shots and bats like a batter, it is a different Shubman Gill. Today, the kind of options he picked and the kind of places where he was hitting, as a bowler he does not give any chance. That makes him very special and the other batter gets confidence from him as well,” said Pandya in a post-match presentation.

“We would have taken 197 at the start, but we did not bowl well. Special innings from Virat, he batted well but we went too early for death bowling. I cannot ask anything better from the boys. Last year, we did well, everything went our way. This year was a different challenge for us. We were expecting people to challenge us. The boys showed tremendous character. A lot of credit goes to all the boys for the way they worked hard throughout,” he added.

Put to bat first by GT, RCB posted a total of 197/5 in their 20 overs. Opening the batting, Virat Kohli had a 67-run opening stand with skipper Faf Du Plessis (28 in 19 balls). Useful cameos came from Michael Bracewell (26 in 16 balls) and Anuj Rawat (23* in 15 balls) as well. But it was Virat who stood tall with his second straight century of the season, his seventh overall. He scored 101* in just 61 balls, consisting of 13 fours and a six.

Noor Ahmed (2/39) in his four overs was the pick of the bowlers for GT. Rashid Khan, Mohammed Shami and Yash Dayal took a wicket each.

In the chase of 198, GT lost Wriddhiman Saha early, but a 123-run stand for the second wicket between Shubman Gill and Vijay Shankar (53 in 35 balls, seven fours and two sixes) brought back them into the game. RCB attempted to make a comeback with some wickets towards the end, but Gill’s hit the match-winning runs to bring up his second successive IPL ton as well. He scored 104* in just 52 balls with five fours and eight sixes. GT chased down the target with five balls to go.

Mohammed Siraj took 2/32 in four overs. Harshal Patel and Vijaykumar Vyshak took a wicket each.

RCB end their campaign in sixth position with seven wins, seven losses and a total of 14 points. GT will be playing CSK in the first qualifier on Tuesday.

Gill clinched the ‘Player of the Match’ for his knock.