AHMEDABAD: Shubman Gill‘s six off Obed McCoy’s bowling sealed the deal for debutants Gujarat Titans as they defeated Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets in the final to win the IPL title here at the Narendra Modi stadium on Sunday. Gill scored an unbeaten 45 off 43 balls to ensure his team chased down 131-run target in 18.1 overs. “It means a lot. After winning the under-19 World Cup, winning the IPL is just as big, ” said Gujarat Titans opener Shubman Gill after the IPL final. The 22-year old batter played for Kolkata Knight Riders in the previous three seasons and this year was retained by Gujarat Titans team for Rs 7 crores and the youngster played a crucial role in giving his side steady starts throughout the season and in the final he was the highest run-scorer for his side.
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In Pics, IPL 2022 Final: Pandya stars as Gujarat win IPL title
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<p>Hardik Pandya starred with bat and ball as Gujarat Titans clinched the IPL title in their debut season with a seven-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals in front of a record crowd of 104,859 in Ahmedabad on Sunday. (BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)</p>
<p>Pandya returned figures of 3-17 to restrict Rajasthan to 130 for nine in the lop-sided final at the world’s biggest cricket stadium and Gujarat’s home ground. (BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)</p>
<p>Pandya then made 34 with the bat before Shubman Gill (45*) and David Miller (32*) steered the team home in 18.1 overs to bring the house down at the 132,000 capacity stadium. (BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)</p>
<p>Pandya set up victory with his key wickets including Jos Buttler’s prized scalp for 39 after Rajasthan, led by Sanju Samson, elected to bat first. (BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)</p>
<p>Buttler finished this season as the leading batsman with 863 runs and his wicket raised the roof at a stadium bigger than the Melbourne Cricket Ground. (BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)</p>
<p>Rashid Khan returned impressive figures of 1-18 from his four overs of leg-spin to keep down the opposition scoring. (BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)</p>
<p>Pandya, who sent back his opposite number Samson for 14, kept up the pressure and got the big-hitting Shimron Hetmyer out for 11 with a caught and bowled. (BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)</p>
<p>Fast bowlers Mohammed Shami and Yash Dayal, who got opener Yashasvi Jaiswal for 22, worked up good pace to keep Rajasthan on the backfoot from the start. (BCCI/IPL Photo)</p>
<p>In reply, Gujarat lost Wriddhiman Saha for five and Matthew Wade for eight before Gill and Pandya put the chase back on track. (BCCI/IPL Photo)</p>
<p>Gill and Pandya put on 63 runs for the third wicket to put the pressure back on the bowling side as Pandya smashed Ravichandran Ashwin for a four and six in the 12th over. (BCCI/IPL Photo)</p>
<p>Yuzvendra Chahal got Pandya out to become the leading wicket-taker of the tournament and finished with 27 scalps. (BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)</p>
<p>But Shubman Gill, who was dropped on nought by Chahal, stood firm to put on an unbeaten 47-run stand with David Miller, who made 32 off 19. (BCCI/IPL/PTI Photo)</p>
<p>Gill’s 45 came from 43 balls and ended with a six that secured the victory. The two batsmen hugged and, as the fireworks erupted, the Gujarat players came running on to the pitch to celebrate. (BCCI/IPL Photo)</p>
<p>Rajasthan Royals go back dejected after their first final appearance since they won the inaugural edition in 2008 under late Australian hero Shane Warne. (BCCI/IPL Photo)</p>
“It is my fourth year. I wanted to be there till the end and that was the talk with the coaches. Glad I took them over the line,” said Shubman Gill.
Gujarat Titans bowlers made the most of the home conditions in Ahmedabad to restrict them to 130/9 in 20 overs. Skipper Hardik Pandya bagged three wickets and R Sai Kishore took two wickets for GT.
“Our bowlers bowled really well to restrict them to 130. We wanted to keep them under 150 but fortunately it was much lesser, ” said Gill. Playing on homeground Gujarat Titans made the most of the conditions and became the champions of IPL 2022.
