Gujarat Titans skipper Hardik Pandya produced a brilliant all-round performance to inspire his team to a title triumph in their debut season, beating Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets in the final of the IPL 2022, in Ahmedabad.
Chasing a below-par target of 131, Gujarat Titans won the match with 11 balls to spare. Pandya scored an important 34, after the Titans lost a couple of early wickets.
Opener Shubman Gill (45*) and David Miller (32*) ensured there were no further hiccups, with the former sealing the win with a six off the first ball of the 19th over.
Earlier, being asked to bowl after losing the toss, the Titans produced a sensational bowling display to restrict the Royals to 130/9. It was Pandya who broke RR’s back, with 3/17, which included the crucial wickets of Jos Buttler (39), Sanju Samson (14) and Shimron Hetmyer (11).
With more than a lakh supporting the home team, Gujarat bowlers were able to maintain the pressure on the opposition though Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal (22 off 16) tried their best to break free.
Jaiswal, who looked tentative against the pace and swing of Mohammad Shami, took more chances compared to Buttler at the start of the innings.
Among the shots Jaiswal attempted, his most assuring stroke was a beautifully timed six over cover off Shami. After pulling Yash Dayal for a massive six over long leg, the southpaw tried one too many and was caught in the deep. The extra bounce induced the mishit.
Buttler, who began his innings with a crisp square cut, was joined by Samson (14 off 11) in the middle.
Knowing both Rajasthan right-handers struggle against Rashid Khan, Pandya brought the star spinner into the attack in the powerplay itself.
Both Buttler and Samson chose to play safe against Rashid as Rajasthan reached 44 for one in the powerplay.
The in-form Buttler decided to force the issue as he drove Lockie Ferguson over the cover fielder before cutting him for successive boundaries.
The New Zealander was generating serious pace and went on to clock 157.3 kmph, the fastest ball of the tournament.
Samson did not last long as his opposite number removed him on his second ball of the game. Pandya hit the hard length and Samson went for the pull shot only to be caught on the off-side, leaving Rajasthan at 60 for two in 8.2 overs.
Rajasthan's struggles worsened when Devdutt Padikkal (2), who took eight balls to get off the mark, and Buttler departed in a space of three balls.
Rashid ended the painful stay of Padikkal before Pandya got the massive wicket of Buttler. The Englishman attempted to steer one to third man but ended up edging it back to the wicketkeeper.
At the other end, new batter Shimron Hetmyer had to answer to the guile of Rashid, who was getting his googlies to rip.
With Rajasthan going at run a ball after 14 overs, big hits were the need of the hour.
However, Pandya made it 94 for five by having the dangerous Hetmyer caught and bowled.
R. Ashwin perished in the following over, ending all hopes of a Rajasthan fightback.
Shami ended the innings in style by castling Riyan Parag with a perfectly placed yorker.
(With PTI inputs)
