Clinical Gujarat see off Delhi Capitals in run chase

The Gujarat Titans picked up their second win of the 2023 IPL season in Delhi on Monday night as they put on a clinical show to beat the Capitals by six wickets at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph, and Rashid Khan picked up eight wickets between them to restrict DC to 162, the lowest score by a team batting first in the IPL this season, before a half-century from Sai Sudarshan guided the defending champs home comfortably with 11 balls to spare.

The Delhi Capitals hoped to bounce back after their comprehensive defeat against the Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday, but their top order failed to make an impact for the second successive game. Mohammed Shami lost his radar in a wayward opening over but found his lengths soon after as he removed Prithvi Shaw with a rising delivery for seven before getting Mitchell Marsh to chop onto his stumps in his next over.

Some undisciplined bowling from the Titans and a promising start for David Warner still helped the Capitals make 63 in the first seven overs, but Alzarri Joseph’s picked up two wickets in two deliveries to dent Delhi’s progress. Warner was the second Australian batter to chop onto his stumps, while Rahul Tewatia took a stunning catch a ball later to send back Rilee Rossouw.

Hardik Pandya introduced Rashid Khan in the 13th over of the innings, but the leg-spinner didn’t take long to make an impact as he cleaned up Abhishek Porel off his second delivery. Axar Patel managed to take the Capitals past 150 with some clean strikes, but Rashid and Shami managed to neutralize Delhi at the death and restrict them to 162 for eight.

In reply, Gujarat got off to a troubling start of their own as Anrich Nortje breathed fire with the new ball. The South African got one to jag back significantly to clean up Wriddhiman Saha and also beat Shubman Gill for pace to remove both Gujarat openers for 14. Hardik Pandya also fell for five on the final ball of the powerplay to cause some nervy moments but Gujarat found a saviour in Sai Sudarshan to take the side home with a half-century.

The number three steadied the ship for Gujarat with a half-century partnership alongside Vijay Shankar before finding another reliable partner in David Miller to complete the chase. Miller survived a close LBW call against Kuldeep Yadav, and played the perfect finisher’s role, adding 31 off just 16 deliveries to lead the Titans to the top of the points table.