The Gujarat Titans crushed the Mumbai Indians by a massive 62 run margin in Qualifier 2. GT qualified for their second consecutive final, while MI were eliminated from the Tata IPL 2023.
GT batted first and finished their 20 overs with a massive score of 233/3. Shubman Gill (129 runs off 60 balls) was the star of the show. He scored his third IPL century of IPL 2023.
In a knock with a strike rate of 215, he hit seven fours and ten maximums. Sai Sudarshan (43 runs off 31 balls) and Hardik Pandya (28* runs off 13 balls) cameoed for him.
In response, Mumbai Indians remained in the game until the the score was 155/4 in 14.2 overs. However the Mumbai Indians’ innings imploded as Mohit Sharma picked up an amazing 5-fer.
Tilak Varma (43 runs off 14 balls) and Cameron Green (30 runs off 20 balls) also contributed significantly to their team’s cause.
It was Gill’s magnificent innings that was the deciding factor between the two teams. The Indian teenager made batting look foolishly simple, hitting the MI bowlers to all four corners of the stadium.
Let’shave a look at the top 5 innings played against MI in IPL history.
1) AB de Villiers, RCB vs MI, IPL 2015
Batting first against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium, RCB finished their 20 overs with a massive score of 235/1. AB de Villiers (133* runs off 59 balls) scored a beautiful century while partnering with his close buddy Virat Kohli. The South African superstar hit 19 fours and four sixes in a 225.42 strike-rate knock.
Virat Kohli (82* runs off 50 balls) helped him out with an undefeated half century. Mumbai Indians responded with 196/7 and RCB triumphed by 39 runs. AB de Villiers was named Player of the Match for his batting efforts.
2) Yashasvi Jaiswal, MI vs RR, IPL 2023
Batting first against Mumbai Indians, RR finished their 20 overs with a par score of 212/7 on a fantastic batting surface. Yashasvi Jaiswal (124 runs off 62 balls) was the star of the show for RR, scoring a fantastic century. In a 200-strike-rate knock, he hit 16 boundaries and eight sixes.
However, the match ended in agony for RR as MI raced down the score in the last over. Suryakumar Yadav’s superb half century (55 runs off 29 balls) and Tim David’s furious knock (45* runs off 14 balls) helped MI. Jaiswal’s innings was so good that he received the POTM award despite his team losing the match.
3) Adam Gilchrist, Deccan Chargers vs MI, IPL 2008
Mumbai Indians batted first and finished their 20 overs with a score of 154/7 at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai. In response, DC chased down the score in 12 overs at a run rate that still raises eyebrows today.
Adam Gilchrist hit a swashbuckling century (109* runs off 47 balls). The Australian superstar hit nine fours and ten sixes in a 231.91 strike rate knock.
DC tracked down the goal with 8 overs to spare and all 10 wickets in hand, thanks to a 155-run opening combination between VVS Laxman (37* runs off 26 balls) and Gilchrist. Gilchrist received the POTM award for his century.
4) AB de Villiers, RCB vs MI, IPL 2015
RCB were 62/3 in 10.3 overs while chasing a total of 210, when AB de Villiers (41 runs off 11 balls) stepped in to bat. He blasted at Lasith Malinga and Mitchell McClenaghan, slamming 5 fours and 3 sixes with a strike rate of 372.73.
RCB finished only 19 runs short in the end, despite struggling at one point. If de Villiers’ attack had lasted for another ten balls, the outcome of the match might have been different. However, he avenged himself in the following game against MI as he scored a century and leading his side to victory.
5) Ben Stokes, MI vs RR, IPL 2020
RR had their work cut out for them as they chased a goal of 196 against a powerful Mumbai Indians bowling attack. Ben Stokes (107* runs off 60 balls) smashed a century to lead his team to an 8 wicket victory.
Playing against the likes of James Pattinson, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, and Rahul Chahar, Stokes hit 14 fours and 3 sixes in a blistering innings at a strike rate of 178.33.
Sanju Samson (54* runs off 31 balls) ably assisted him with a superb half-century. RR won by eight wickets with 1.4 overs to spare. Ben Stokes received the POTM award.
