Match Number 7 of the TATA IPL 2023 was played at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium as another toss-winning captain decided to bowl first. No surprise whatsoever as Prithvi Shaw opened the inning with Captain David Warner. The fans at the park were hoping for a firing start, but Hardik’s Gujarat came out with precise plans.
Mohammed Shami once again delivered with utmost accuracy as he first dismissed Prithvi Shaw with a short ball and then sent Mitchell Marsh back to the pavilion. Delhi Capitals were at 52-2 at the end of the powerplay. David Warner was looking good, but Alzari Joseph once again came to bowl and changed the entire course of the game. He first cleaned up David Warner for 37 runs in 32 balls and then dismissed Rilee Rossouw for a Golden Duck. Gujarat Titans pacers didn’t give threw any opportunities to the home team to allow Delhi’s batters to dictate the inning.
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Delhi Capital was crumbling when Abhishek Poral joined Sarfaraz Khan, and the duo started to build a partnership. Poral was looking in good touch, and then came Rashid Khan. He came to bowl the 13th over, which is indeed a unique record for an Afghani spinner. Rashid Khan never bowled this late in an IPL match, but that can’t stop him from producing a breakthrough. He bowled Abhishek Poral. His inning of 20 runs came in 11 balls with the help of 2 maximums. Sarfaraz Khan tried so hard to take Delhi Capitals to a good total, but his scratchy inning was ended by a good catch in the deep by Joshua Little. Rashid Khan, after getting hit for a boundary, sent him back on 30. He took 34 balls and hit 2 fours for his hard-made 30.
Everyone looked unsettled, but Axar Patel showed why he had become one of the most improved batters in International Cricket in recent times. His inning of 36 runs in 22 balls, with the help of 2 fours and 3 sixes, helped Delhi Capitals to score 162 for the loss of 8 wickets. Rashid and Shami took 3-3 wickets each, while Alzari bagged 2 with a great economical spell.
Gujarat Titans began the chase with style, but the opening partnership was soon shattered by Anrich Nortje as he dismissed Saha for 14 runs. Despite losing 3 wickets in the powerplay, Delhi Capitals managed to score 54 runs. Sai Sudharshan was looking in fine touch as Vijay Shankar (Impact Player) joined him in the middle as Hardik was sent back by Khaleel Ahmed on mere 5 runs.
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Vijay Shankar joined S. Sudharshan in the middle, and the boys proceeded with the mission. Gujarat was in a good position when Vijay Shankar missed a dead straight delivery from Marsh and was given out by the umpire on 29 runs in 23 balls. Gujarat needed 55 runs in 40 balls when David Miller came out to bat. The South African batter turned the game in Gujarat’s favor by hitting 2 sixes and 1 four to end the 16th over.
S. Sudharshan then played a fine shot to bring up his Fifty in Style and then almost sealed the game by smashing Anrich Nortje for a Six over deep fine leg. Precisely it was just a matter of time, and soon Miller played a shot for a couple of runs and helped GT to win back-to-back games.
The team has shown a promising start as they beat the Capitals by 6 wickets and 11 balls to spare and is currently at the top of the IPL Points Table 2023.
