Cricket

Time

19/09/2024 05:30
County Championship Division One
Lancashire vs Somerset County
Centuries by Shubman Gill and opening partner Sai Sudharsan spearheaded Gujarat Titans to a 35-run win. Source: Cricket Today

Gujarat Titans beat Chennai Super Kings by 35 runs to deny title-holders play-off hopes

Centuries from Shubman Gill and opening partner Sai Sudharsan led Gujarat Titans to a 35-run victory over Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League on Friday.

Captain Gill, who was left out of India's T20 World Cup squad, scored 104 off 55 balls and left-hander Sudharsan was up to the task, scoring a magnificent 103 off 51 balls for his maiden IPL hundred.

Their total of 231-3 was briefly challenged by Daryl Mitchell (63) and Moeen Ali (56), but Chennai were all out for 196-8.

Medium-pacer Mohit Sharma dismissed both the half-century makers with figures of 3-31.

Chennai's defeat tightened the race for the play-offs. Chennai remained in the fourth and final play-off spot, with Gujarat just outside, but need to win their final two matches by big margins to drastically improve their net run-rate.

Chennai was sorely missed without top-order pacer Matheesha Pathirana and the departed Mustafizur Rahman as Gill and Sudharsan paced Gujarat's innings.

Apart from Shardul Thakur, who conceded just 25 runs, the other Chennai bowlers couldn't stem the tide. Fast bowler Simarjeet Singh, playing his second match of the season, was bowled for 60 from his four overs and Ravindra Jadeja was removed after conceding 29 from his two overs of left-arm spin.

Both Gujarat openers reached their centuries off 50 balls and put on the highest first-wicket stand of 210 runs in IPL history. Chennai made a brief recovery in the death overs, conceding just one boundary in the last three overs.

Tushar Deshpande dismissed both century-makers in the 18th over. Sudharsan, who hit seven sixes and five fours, holed out at extra cover and Gill, who hit six sixes and nine fours, was deceived by a slower ball and holed out at deep midwicket.

Chennai slumped to 10-3. David Miller ran out Rachin Ravindra in the first over, Sandeep Warrier dismissed Ajinkya Rahane and Gaikward fell for a duck to a superb catch by Rashid Khan on the boundary.

Mitchell and Ali shared a 109-run stand for the third wicket, but they were removed by Sharma in his first two overs and Chennai couldn't recover.

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