IPL 2023: Gujarat Titans ace another chase as Delhi Capitals start their season with two defeats

Gujarat Titans rode on a clinical all-round display to condemn Delhi Capitals to two defeats in two matches at the start of the 2023 Indian Premier League season. Titans won by six wickets with 11 balls to spare on Tuesday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

Delhi Capitals managed to post 162/8 after being asked to bat first by Hardik Pandya, thanks mainly to a late cameo by Axar Patel as their batting struggled yet again. Anrich Nortje gave some hope to the hosts with the ball but B Sai Sudharsan anchored the run-chase while David Miller, playing his first match of the season, provided the flourish at the end.

Sudharsan (62) and fellow left-hander Miller (31) put together an unbeaten stand of 56 to steer their team home. Miller’s innings came just when DC were hoping to squeeze GT into a position of pressure. Having landed in India only recently after international duty, Miller showed no signs of fatigue. Instead, he produced another blistering cameo.

The defending champions have started 2023 from where they left off in 2022, continuing to have a good record while chasing in the IPL. In their second season in the league, they have now completed 10 run-chases successfully and lost just one while batting second.

Gujarat were in early trouble after an excellent spell of fast bowling by South African Anrich Nortje, but Sudharsan stood firm in his team’s second straight victory this season.

One of the South African players to have joined the IPL for this match after the Netherlands one-day international series, Miller, who replaced the injured Kane Williamson in the XI, played his part to perfection.

Gujarat pace spearhead Mohammed Shami and leg-spinner Rashid Khan took three wickets each as they restricted the opposition to 162-8 before handing Delhi a second straight loss.

Gujarat did not have the best of starts as Nortje removed both openers, including bowling Shubman Gill for 14, and were in further trouble when left-arm quick Khaleel Ahmed got skipper Hardik Pandya caught behind for five.

But Vijay Shankar replaced Ireland fast bowler Josh Little under the new “impact player” rule introduced this season and joined Sudharsan in the middle to revive the chase.

Mitchell Marsh broke the dangerous-looking stand of 53 after he trapped Shankar lbw for 29 but Sudharsan and Miller completed the job.

Delhi’s batters never really got going despite skipper David Warner’s 37 and a quickfire 36 from Axar Patel as they posted a below-par total.

Shami struggled to control his line and length and gave away runs at the start before he found his groove with the two key wickets of Prithvi Shaw and Marsh.

Warner fell to Alzarri Joseph as he chopped on to his stumps.

Joseph bowled at a lively pace and dismissed Rilee Rossouw for a first-ball duck.

Rashid claimed the wicket of Sarfaraz Khan who struggled to a 34-ball 30.

Coming in at number seven, Axar took on the bowlers with three sixes and two fours in his 22-ball innings but could not haul Delhi to a big enough total.

(With AFP inputs)