In the final league match of IPL 2023, Gujarat Titans beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by six wickets. Shubman Gill hit an unbeaten 104 off 52 balls and shared a 123-run partnership off 71 balls with Vijay Shankar. With this win, five-time champions Mumbai Indians secured the last remaining spot for the playoffs and will face Lucknow Super Giants in the eliminator on May 24 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Chasing a target of 198, Wriddhiman Saha and Gill hit two fours each in the first three overs. Saha fell to Mohammed Siraj in the third over. Shankar struggled to get his timing against spinners, while Gill smacked Vyshak Vijaykumar down the ground for a clean six. Gill got his fifty in 29 balls and then tore into Michael Bracewell’s off-spin for sixes. Shankar got a four off an outside edge against Siraj. He then ramped and lofted Vyshak for two fours, before slogging him for six to get his fifty in 34 balls.
In a bid to get another six, Shankar holed out to deep mid-wicket on the very next ball, followed by Dasun Shanaka holing out in the same region. After a no-boundary 17th over, Gill eased pressure with a short-arm pull off Siraj for six. Gill finished off the chase in style with a maximum over long-on bringing up his second IPL century in as many games.
Brief Scores: Royal Challengers Bangalore 197/5 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 101 not out; Noor Ahmad 2/39) lost to Gujarat Titans 198/4 in 19.1 overs (Shubman Gill 104 not out, Vijay Shankar 53; Mohammed Siraj 2/32) by six wickets.
