Shubman Gill’s love affair with Ahmedabad has continued as the youthful opener recorded his third swashbuckling century in the present IPL 2023 season. In Qualifier 2 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Gill smashed a century to put his team ahead of five-time winners Mumbai Indian.
Shubman Gill was concerned about the Mumbai Indians’ pacers in the powerplay after a dismal performance against Chennai Super Kings in Qualifier 1. Tim David dropped down a difficult opportunity to get rid of the youthful dasher in the last over of the powerplay, giving him a lifeline.
It proved to be a costly mistake for the Australian, as Gill began to pour pressure on the bowlers following the loss of his opening partner, Wridhhiman Saha. Gill took his batting to the next level in the over against experienced leggie and Mumbai’s finest bowler this season, Piyush Chawla, scoring a quick half-century.
While Cameron Green was able to get a touch to a strongly struck ball from Gill on his followthrough, Akash Madhwal faced the full wrath of the Gujarat opener in the next over. In the 12th over, the 29-year-old pacer conceded three sixes, each one higher than the last.
let’s take a look at Twitter’s reaction on Gill’s century
Love watching @ShubmanGill Bat .. Like all high class players he makes it look so easy .. he is the next big thing in Indian cricket .. #IPL2023 #Sachin #Virat
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) May 26, 2023
Extraordinary!????
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 26, 2023
Shubman Gill is putting on a show once again with his supreme batting ????#TATAIPL | #Qualifier2 | #GTvMI | @ShubmanGill pic.twitter.com/aE8nEZxI19
.@ShubmanGill's ???????????????? ???????? ????????????????:
— Gujarat Titans (@gujarat_titans) May 26, 2023
✔️Youngest to score a century in IPL Playoffs
✔️Highest score in #TATAIPL Playoffs (129)
✔️Joint-fastest hundred in #TATAIPL Playoffs (49 balls)
✔️2nd batter in T20 history to score 3 centuries in 4 consecutive innings
✔️Most runs in 4… pic.twitter.com/VsIcbehYUc
Shubman Gill ????
— Kevin Pietersen???? (@KP24) May 26, 2023
Shubman Gill is putting on a show. Again.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 26, 2023
It is a Shubman (Super) Gill show! What a player!!!
— Anjum Chopra (@chopraanjum) May 26, 2023
A Class apart! ???????? #ShubmanGill pic.twitter.com/TkJIFapB3t
It’s a joy to watch subhman gill bat… #wow
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) May 26, 2023
What dropping Gill costs in could well be the deciding factor in this match. Rare miss by Tim David who is a spectacular fielder
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) May 26, 2023
Single handedly destroying the reputations of bowlers old and new! Piyush Chawla who has bowled so well all season and wunderkid Madhwal fresh off his feat of 5-5 don’t know what has hit them!! @ShubmanGill take a bow!!! ????????????
— Kaushal Kumbhat (@kkumbhat) May 26, 2023
Shubman Gill joins the giants of the game after record-breaking inning
Gill didn’t stop there, as he pounded Chawla for 19 runs in the very next over. While edging closer to his third century of the season, the teenager joined Virat Kohli and Jos Buttler as the third batsman to score 800 runs in an IPL season.
After scoring his third century in the last four matches in just 49 deliveries, the 23-year-old batsman from Punjab punched the air in excitement, followed by his typical bowing celebration. He marked the occasion by hitting Green for two sixes and a boundary on consecutive deliveries in the same over.
A standing ovation greeted the superb batter as he exited the arena after scoring 129 off just 60 deliveries, the best score by a batter in IPL playoffs.