Gill’s ton powers Gujarat to 34-run win over SRH

AHMEDABAD: Shubman Gill hit his maiden IPL century to single-handedly power defending champion Gujarat Titans to a thumping 34-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL here on Monday.

The win ensured that Gujarat became the first team to qualify for this season’s playoffs with 18 points from 13 games. Gujarat scored 188 for nine and then restricted Hyderabad to with pacers Mohammed Shami (4/21) and Mohit Sharma (4/28) excelling with the ball. This was Hyderabad’s eighth defeat and it also meant after Delhi Capitals, it becomes the second team to get knocked out.

Heinrich Klaasen once again stood out scoring 64 (44b, 4x4, 3x6). Earlier, Gill slammed 101 off just 58 balls with the help of 13 fours and one six, and added 147 runs for the second wicket with Sai Sudharsan (47 off 36 balls; 6x4, 1x6). For Hyderabad, Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s 5/30 went in vain. Sent into bat, GT suffered an early blow as it lost Wriddhiman Saha for a duck in the third ball off the innings, nicking one to Abhishek Sharma at second slip.

After a sedate start, GT broke the shackles in the third over with Gill and Sai Sudharsan hitting Bhuvneshwar for three exquisite boundaries to pick up 15 runs. Having found his touch, the inform Gill pulled, drove and flicked to collect four consecutive boundaries off Fazalhaq Farooqi. Both Sudharsan and Gill then dealt in boundaries to take GT to 65 for one in six overs. Gill, in particular, was at his attacking best as he continued his onslaught and pulled SRH skipper Aiden Markram for two consecutive fours in the seventh over and then struck Mayank Markande for two more boundaries in the next over.

At the end of the 10th over, GT was 103 for one. It was mayhem thereafter with Gill and Sudharsan going hammer and tongs to maintain a healthy run rate of over 10 till 14 overs. Sudharsan finally departed in the 15th over, caught by T Natarajan at backward point off the bowling of Marco Jansen. GT skipper Hardik Pandya didn’t last long, giving a straightforward catch to Rahul Tripathi at point, handing Bhuvneshwar his second scalp of the day.

David Miller perished in the next over while attempting a big hit. Rahul Tewatia was the next to depart as SRH picked up four wickets in four overs. Gill, however, went about his business and brought up his century in 56 balls with a single to long-off in the 19th over. But soon after raising his ton, Gill perished in the opening ball of the final over, caught by Abdul Samad off Bhuvneshwar.

Rashid Khan got a thick edge in the next ball and Noor Ahmad also departed during an excellent final over by Bhuvneshwar.

BRIEF SCORES: Gujarat Titans 188/9 in 20 overs (S Gill 101, Sai Sudharsan 47, B Kumar 5/30) bt Sunrisers Hyderabad 154/9 in 20 overs (H Klaasen 64, Md. Shami 4/21, Mohit Sharma 4/28).