Cricket Highlights, 24 May: IPL 2022 – Qualifier 1 (GT vs RR)

GT vs RR Match Highlights

Gujarat Titans (GT) has picked up an incredible 7-wicket win with 3 balls in hand over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2022 courtesy of David Miller’s devastating innings at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Tuesday. After winning this match, the new IPL team GT becomes the first finalist of the tournament.

After winning the toss, GT captain Hardik Pandya decided to field and sent RR to bat first. RR’s batsmen got off to a great start. In the 2nd over of the innings, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (3) returned to the dressing room but RR picked up 55 runs without losing any more wickets in 6 overs of the power play.

Captain Sanju Samson returned to the pavilion after playing a stormy innings of 47 off 26 balls with 5 fours and 3 sixes. However, the opener Jos Buttler was still playing very slowly. But when he got settled on the wicket gradually, he took on a devastating form.

In the end, Jos Buttler was run out making 89 off 56 balls. He hit 12 boundaries as well as two sixes. Based on his innings, RR lost 6 wickets in the allotted 20 overs and collected a fighting total of 188 runs. Another batsman Devdutt Padikkal scored 28 off 20 balls for the team.

Despite the devastating innings of Jos Buttler, Afghan spinner Rashid Khan gave away just 15 runs in 4 overs for GT. Mohammed Shami, Sai Kishore, Yash Dayal, and Hardik Pandya took one wicket each for them.

GT’s Opener Wriddhiman Saha (0) lost his wicket in the second ball of the first over after coming down to chase the challenging target of 189 runs. Shubman Gill and Matthew Wade then put on a 72-run stand for the second wicket. Shubman was playing in an aggressive mood. But in the 4th ball of the 8th over by Ravichandran Ashwin, he got run out while going for a second run. Shubman returned to the dressing room with 35 runs off 21 balls.

Matthew Wade was dismissed for 35 off 30 balls. After Wade’s dismissal for 85 runs, David Miller and Hardik Pandya teamed up. Miller was very slow in the beginning. But the protea batter suddenly ignited after getting settled on the wicket. Eden’s spectators were mesmerized by the glorious display of fours and sixes.

When he completed his half-century off 35 balls, the team needed 16 runs off 7 balls. Pandya did not take any more runs in the last ball of the 19th over. Miller stayed on strike in the next over.

Prasidh Krishna came to bowl for RR in the last over. Miller played a lofted shot on his first ball from the off-stump to the long-on. The ball went straight to the gallery. The next ball was of good length on the middle stump. The bounce came up almost equal to the waist. Miller dispatched it over the boundary playing a shot towards the deep square leg. It was a six again for GT.

GT needed 4 runs from the last 4 balls. David Miller was in a hurry to finish the things off for his team. This time he sent the ball straight to the gallery over the deep mid-wicket. GT reached the port of victory losing 3 wickets in 19.3 overs. Miller remained unbeaten on 68 off 36 balls smashing 3 fours and 5 sixes. He also became the Player of the Match.

Hardik Pandya was unbeaten on 40 off 27 balls with 5 boundaries. Trent Boult and Obed McCoy took one wicket each for RR.

Rajasthan Royals are not leaving the tournament even after losing in this match. They will get another chance. Rajasthan Royals will face the winner of the Eliminator match between Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Lucknow Super Giants in Qualifier-2.

GT vs RR Scoreboard

Rajasthan Royals – 188/6 (20.0)

Gujarat Titans – 191/3 (19.3)

Result – Gujarat Titans won by 7 wickets

Player of the match – David Miller

GT vs RR Reward of the Match