Gill and Ferguson shine as DC are handed first defeat

The Gujarat Titans (GT) defeated the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the ninth game of the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL). The match was played in the Maharashtra Cricket Academy Stadium in Pune. Lockie Ferguson was adjudged to be the Man of the Match.

Gill bides his time

Shubman Gill’s numbers in Twenty-20 cricket are not outstanding. That isn’t to say that he is not a good player. He is immensely talented. However, as an opener, one is expected to tear down bowling attacks and set the tone for the match. Gill has had that problem in the past.

Gill seemed to change that yesterday, playing some gorgeous shots from the get-go. There was little that he missed out on, and was almost as if he was posing for cameras. At no point did he feel the need to change his game and play some tacky shots. He did what he was best at: classic batting.

Despite the fairly sedate start he had given GT, his threading of the gaps and expert timing meant he could score quicker without taking much risks, and reached his half century off 32 balls. This is when Gill really hit the acceleration pedal and sped to 84 runs, at which he eventually succumbed to Khaleel Ahmed. Gill left with less than three overs to go, but the platform he had set meant his teammates could go freely at the end and take the team total up to 171.

The Fizz starts and ends well

Mustafizur Rahman is perhaps one of the most underrated cricketers on the planet. He does everything a captain asks of him; from opening the bowling to closing it, from picking up wickets to keeping it tight.

Rahman did all of this on Saturday night, picking up Matthew Wade’s wicket in the first over of the match. The wily Bangladeshi also made it difficult to score during the powerplay, making the batters take unnecessary risks during other bowlers’ overs.

Rahman ended the innings quite well, too, picking up the wickets of Rahul Tewatia and Abhinav Manohar in the process. He finished with 3 wickets at the expense of just 23 runs, further reminding everyone what he has to offer.

Allround Pandya ensures balance

The debates and discussions on Hardik Pandya’s fitness have divided opinions among many over the past two years. There were some claiming that his capabilities with the bat alone were enough to make him part of any playing eleven, while others argued that him not bowling was a disgrace. Furthermore, Pandya had been out of form for quite some time now, and so he knew, and knows, that he will be viewed closely this IPL.

Yet, Pandya has seemingly found his form, rhythm, and fitness back. Pandya followed up last week’s allround performance with another good one last night. First, he came in to bat with the score at 44/2 and strung together a partnership with Gill, taking them to a safe position and setting the launchpad for his opener.

Pandya was also unafraid to bowl during the powerplay overs. In fact, he brought himself on in just the 2nd over, and took the opening wicket of Tim Seifert in the first ball. Once again, Pandya showed that he was a utility player and could handle almost every situation, with bat and with ball.

All aboard the Ferguson express

In the cricketing world, Lockie Ferguson and speed are synonymous… as is accuracy… and wickets… and economical… and matchwinner. The spearhead has been lauded for his pace and his knack of picking out wickets at almost free will.

Even on Saturday, Ferguson proved his worth, striking with his first ball of the match and taking the crucial wicket of Prithvi Shaw. That same over, he also got rid of Mandeep Singh, who had been looking good from the start.

It wouldn’t just stop there; Ferguson also took the biggest wicket of the match in the form of Rishabh Pant. Pant had been playing a good hand then, and looked set to be there till the end to see his side through. However, Ferguson had other plans. He then hammered another nail into the coffin with the wicket of Axar Patel in the same over, and had almost certainly sealed victory for the Titans.

The other bowlers played their part as well, and DC could only muster up 157 runs in the second half, 14 short of GT.