Gujarat Titans thrashed Mumbai Indians by 55 runs in a completely one-sided IPL match on April 26, 2023. The Titans produced a clinical performance that left the Mumbai team struggling from the beginning.
On a hot and muggy evening in Ahmedabad, the Titans won their second game in a row thanks to some late-game fireworks from their batsmen and the combined efforts of Afghan spinners Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad, who took five wickets between them. The loss was Mumbai Indians’ second in a row.
Gill Gets GT to a Strong Start
Shubman Gill made sure GT’s run rate stayed high when they had the advantage. After he lost on 56 off 34, GT was set up for a strong finish by David Miller and Abhinav Manohar. After Miller also lost (46 off 22), Manohar ended up losing (42 off 21). The addition of 20 runs from Rahul Tewatia in only five balls propelled the Gujarat Titans to 207/6 in 20 overs.
The Explosive Batting Display by Manohar, Miller, and Tewatia
It was anyone’s game after 13 overs when the score was 103 for 4 and Gill and Vijay Shankar had both holed out to long-on against the spinners in successive overs. Manohar courageously confronted the tyrannical Piyush Chawla, swinging the balance of power in favor of the Titans to the point that Mumbai never recovered. Two full deliveries from Chawla to open the 15th over were smashed by Manohar over the cover boundary.
Titans Assemble 🔥⚡💪 #AavaDe | #TATAIPL 2023 | #GTvMI pic.twitter.com/s7vroK62hI
— Gujarat Titans (@gujarat_titans) April 25, 2023
Manohar smashed a five-ball six to give that over a total of 17 runs, matching the total number of runs allowed by Chawla in his first three overs. Manohar and Miller were unstoppable from that point on. With the aid of Rahul Tewatia, the pair smashed three sets of consecutive sixes in the final three overs, giving the Mumbai bowlers enough to ponder about heading into their next game. Manohar smashed Cameron Green for the first of those bunches with his raw force in the 18th over, then Miller did it with his golf strokes to close Meredith’s last over, during which Manohar also holed out to long-off for 42 off 21.
Miller’s departure for 46 off 22 on the final ball was scarcely a consolation for Mumbai, as by then Titans had reached 200, and Tewatia swept the first ball he faced for six, and then slammed two more off Behrendorff’s slower ones in the last over on the leg side, for a total of 20 off 5.
Mumbai’s Woes
The reply from MI was a sputtering failure. All four bowlers kept picking them off after Hardik Pandya and Mohammed Shami had stifled them in the powerplay. With Jofra Archer out sick and Arjun Tendulkar not bowling in that phase, Mumbai’s death bowling was once again under the microscope. Their quicks leaked 70 runs in the final four overs, much like they did against Punjab Kings (65 runs).
208 to chase. #Believe 💙#OneFamily #GTvMI #MumbaiMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #TATAIPL #IPL2023 pic.twitter.com/tCH2dqdZKm
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 25, 2023
The top six batsmen for Mumbai were all dismissed for under 25, and the team ultimately lost by 55 runs after being reduced to 59/5 in the 11th over. Despite Shubman Gill’s fifty and a boundary-filled 71-run fifth-wicket stand by Abhinav Manohar and David Miller off just 35 balls, the home team lost.
Mohammed Shami Shines
Mohammed Shami showcased his lethal form in a warm-up match against Mumbai Indians. Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma might have something to smile about, but his team struggled against Shami’s accurate pace and swing early on. Ishan Kishan, the Mumbai batsman, looked like a deer in headlights as he faced Shami’s fast deliveries outside his off stump.
Despite his best efforts to poke, jab, and prod at the deliveries, Kishan only managed eight runs off his 13 balls. By the end of the powerplay, Kishan had crawled to 10 off 17, leaving Mumbai struggling to pick up the pace and score runs.
Spinners Keep the Pressure on
With Mumbai Indians losing wickets at regular intervals, they needed a big partnership to stay in the game. But the Gujarat Titans spinners, Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad, had other ideas. They bowled in tandem and kept the pressure on the Mumbai batsmen, taking wickets at crucial junctures. The Afghan leg-spinner Rashid Khan was the best of the bowlers, taking three wickets in four overs. He bowled accurately and at varying speeds to confuse the batters. Noor Ahmad, the left-arm wrist-spinner, also bowled well, picking up two wickets for 35 runs in his four overs.
With Mumbai Indians struggling to get going, the Gujarat Titans bowlers never let the opposition settle down. Hardik Pandya, who is known for his big-hitting abilities, was dismissed for just 13 runs off 15 balls, which showed how well the Titans bowlers executed their plans. Mumbai Indians were bowled out for just 152 runs, falling short of the target by 55 runs. It was a comprehensive victory for the Gujarat Titans, who played like a well-oiled machine.
Player of the Match: Abhinav Manohar
Abhinav Manohar was undoubtedly the star of the show as he led the Gujarat Titans to a convincing victory over the Mumbai Indians. His unbeaten knock of 89 runs off just 52 deliveries included six fours and six sixes, and he was rightly adjudged the Player of the Match.
Gujarat Titans VS MI
Manohar was elated after receiving the award and expressed his gratitude towards the franchise for their unwavering support. He also mentioned that it was a dream come true for him to perform on such a big stage as the IPL. His heroic performance with the bat ensured that the Gujarat Titans secured a resounding victory over the defending champions.
Bottom Line
The Gujarat Titans put on a clinical performance to outclass the Mumbai Indians in all departments of the game. From batting to bowling, they dominated the match and never let the opposition settle down. Shubman Gill played a crucial knock at the top of the order, while Abhinav Manohar and David Miller’s fireworks in the death overs took the team’s total beyond 200.
The Titan’s bowlers then backed up the batsmen with a disciplined performance, with Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad leading the way with the ball. It was a team effort from the Gujarat Titans, who jumped to second place in the IPL points table with their second win in a row. As for the Mumbai Indians, they have some serious thinking to do before their next match.
Their batting and bowling performances have been below par in the last two games, and they need to find a way to turn things around quickly if they want to stay in the hunt for a playoff spot.
