IPL 2022: Saha, Gill fifties go in vain as Mumbai Indians beat Gujarat Titans by 5 runs

Mumbai, May 6, 2022

Openers Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha struck half-centuries and shared a 106-run partnership for the opening wicket but Mumbai Indians fought back strongly to reel them in for a 5-run win in Match 51 of IPL 2022 here on Friday.

Saha struck a superb 40-ball 55, hitting six boundaries and two sixes while Gill blasted 52 off 36 deliveries, hitting six fours and two sixes as they went neck-and-neck in scoring runs to give their team a brilliant start as they chased the target of 178 set by Mumbai Indians after being asked to bat first on a humid and muggy evening here.

But after both of them got out in quick succession, Gujarat Titans lost their way and were eventually restricted to 172/5 in 20 overs, falling agonisingly short in a thrilling encounter in which the Titans needed 11 runs off the last over. Daniel Sams bowled a brilliant over to deny David Miller any chances while Rahul Tewatia was run out going for a quick single.

This was Mumbai Indians' second win in 10 matches as they moved up to four points. Gujarat Titans slumped to their third defeat in 11 matches but remained at the top of the table with 16 points. This was their second successive defeat.

Gujarat Titans' skipper Hardik Pandya tried to hold the innings together when his two openers were out after laying a solid foundation, but the all-rounder was run out to a smart effort by keeper Ishan Kishan. Sai Sudharshan (14), David Miller (19 not out) and Rahul Tewatia (3) could not complete the task, needing 40-odd runs off 24 deliveries.

At one stage Gujarat Titans were cruising towards the target with Saha and Gill going great guns. However, the never-say-die attitude of the Mumbai Indians helped them snatch victory in a close finish.

Saha started on a more aggressive note, hitting Jasprit Bumrah for two fours and a six in his first over -- picking his India teammate off his pads for a superb wristy six over midwicket.

He struck Riley Meredith for two fours in an over and then blasted Bumrah for a six and a four in the fifth over as Gujarat ended the powerplay with 54 runs.

Gill struck his first big shot, a six off Murugan Ashwin in the sixth over and then struck the bowler for a four in the same over. He despatched Daniel Sams to successive boundaries in the eighth over and hammered left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya a six and a four in the ninth over as Gujarat reached 100 runs in the 11th over.

However, both of them fell in quick succession, falling to spinner Murugan Ashwin. Gill was out to a skier, failing to reach to the pitch of a leg break full on the off-stump, Kieron Pollard grabbing an easy catch. Saha too departed soon, sweeping Murugan Ashwin to Sams at deep square leg -- from 106 for no loss, Gujarat Titans fell to 111/2 which soon became 156/4 as they made a hash of the chase.

Earlier, Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan gave Mumbai Indians a superb start but the five-time champions lost their way a bit before recovering thanks to a brilliant cameo by Tim David to post 177/6 in their 20 overs.

Sharma struck 43 off 28 deliveries and Kishan 45 off 29 as both of them failed to complete their half-centuries and got out to soft dismissals after raising 74 runs for the opening wicket in quick time after table-toppers Gujarat Titans won the toss and asked them to bat first.

But from 74 for no loss, they soon slumped to 119/4 and looked like they would struggle to cross 150 before Thilak Varma and Tim David came together for a 37-run partnership that helped them recover to the position from which Tim David could land a few lusty blows in the last three overs to take them to a total they could fancy defending.

David remained unbeaten on 44 off 21 deliveries, hitting four superb sixes -- one off a free-hit following an above-the-waist no-ball by Lockie Ferguson that unfortunately resulted in the run out of Tilak Varma, Gujarat skipper Hardik Pandya getting him with a superb direct hit. David ended the innings by smacking two sixes off the 20th over bowled by Mohammed Shami.

Gujarat Titans, who are looking for a win to seal their place in the playoffs, won the toss and elected to bowl and would be happy that they managed a score they can get easily.

However, at the start, it looked like Mumbai Indians would get a bit more runs on the board as Sharma and Kishan gave them a brilliant start.

With skipper Rohit Sharma getting off to a brisk start Mumbai Indians raced to 63 for no loss in the power-play, one of their best starts in the tournament coming when they are already out of contention. While Rohit was all aggressive and superb timing, his partner Ishan Kishan started cautiously and unleashed some fine shots after settling in.

Rohit Sharma started with a superb boundary, lofting a length delivery by Alzarri Joseph that goes one-bounce into the advertisement boards. The Mumbai Indians and India captain edged the next delivery past the slip for another four and followed that up with the first six of the match on the last ball of the over, launching the English pacer over the mid-wicket boundary.

He struck Joseph for fours off successive deliveries in the fourth over again -- the second one a superb punch through point for a cracking four.

But Sharma got out just when it looked like he was batting like his old self when he unnecessarily attempted a reverse sweep off Rashid Khan, misses it, and got hit on the pads. Rashid Khan sought a review and got the on-field umpire to change his decision after getting three reds in the referral.

Mumbai Indians sent Suryakumar Yadav (13, 10b, 6x1), their best batter so far this season, but he did not last long, ballooning a simple catch to midwicket off Pradeep Sangwan.

Kishan, who had started cautiously before hammering Lockie Ferguson for two boundaries in a row in the fifth over and blasted Rahul Tewatia for a huge six, going down the wicket to smack him over midwicket, was the next to get out. It was another soft dismissal as he flicked Joseph uppishly into the hands of Rashid Khan at midwicket.

Kieron Pollard (4) did not trouble the scorer for long and just when it looked like Mumbai were losing their way, Tilak Varma and Tim David came together to help them to a score they would fancy defending.

Brief scores: Mumbai Indians (Ishan Kishan 45, Rohit Sharma 43, Tim David 44 not out, Tilak Varma 21; Rashid Khan 2/24) beat Gujarat Titans (Wriddhiman Saha 55, Shubman Gill 52, Hardik Pandya 24, David Miller 19 not out; Murugan Ashwin 2/29) by 5 runs.

IANS