GT Vs MI: It was a sensational evening match of the double-header on Sunday, as Hardik Pandya failed to get his ‘Hardik Swagat’ in Ahmedabad, as Gujarat Titans began their IPL 2024 campaign on a winning note. The match was already a high-voltage affair, as the build-up was extremely aggressive, and it was clearly visible when Hardik Pandya was heavily booed throughout.
GT only managed 168 in their 20 overs, as there were no half-centuries, and with MI cruising past GT until the 12th over on the banks of Rohit Sharma and Dewald Brevis, it appeared to be an easy MI win, but impact player Mohit Sharma had other plans, as his figures of 2/32 in his four overs, alongside Spencer Johnson and Sai Kishore delivered one of the most iconic victories for the Titans with a six-run win.
A close, close fight to the end… but we couldn't cross the line.#MumbaiMeriJaan #MumbaiIndians #GTvMI pic.twitter.com/BhAkPuIiS0
— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) March 24, 2024
“Obviously, we backed ourselves to score 42 runs. But it was one of those days where if we saw a lower score in the final five overs, we lost momentum. It’s nice to be back because this is a stadium where you can enjoy the atmosphere. “The crowd was full, and they had a good game,” said MI captain Hardik Pandya.
The MI captain also stated his full support for Tilak Varma’s decision to avoid a single in the 17th over.
“I think Tilak felt it was the right decision to not give strike to David and I completely back him,” he went on to say.
“Absolutely incredible.” It’s a full house here and winning feels extra special. I think you should stay calm. I had Ash there for a long time chatting with me. It was really cool to get Ash’s and everyone else’s beliefs. What works best for me is to bowl the hard length. Remaining calm and not panicking. Simply sticking to what I do well. This is easily the largest. I had always wanted to play cricket in India, and now here I am. Hopefully, we can keep winning. Shubman was unbelievable. He sat beside me on the bus and he kept me calm. He has been an incredible young captain,” said the Australian pacer.
The match was also a tough test for Shubman Gill, who was captaining an IPL team for the first time, and the Indian opener triumphed over the five-time IPL champions, Mumbai Indians.
“Yeah, the boys definitely kept their cool with the dew coming in. Yes, there was a lot of dew, but I believe that our spinners bowled Rashid and Sai well enough to keep us in the game. Yeah, Mohit Sharma has been a revolution for us since his arrival, and he has performed admirably in the past year. We were just looking to keep putting pressure on them,” Gill explained.
Sai Sudharshan’s crucial contribution proved to be a turning point in the game, and he was named Player of the Match. The left-handed batsman said the following during the post-match presentation ceremony:
“I believe it was a little difficult to bat in the first innings, but due to the dew, they were able to play some shots in the second. Yeah, I think we played a great game today. I’m not taking it as pressure; it’s just another opportunity for me to express myself. After a few balls, I realized it wasn’t a wicket where we could score in every over.
Yeah, fielding was really great, with so many great contributions. I was surprised to receive this award. As a batter, I found it difficult when their bowlers removed the pace from the ball, but our bowlers did an excellent job.”