Pandya’s Gujarat capped IPL trophy on debut, beating Rajasthan Royals in the final on Sunday, May 29, 2022 (IST) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. For the first time since 2008 Rajasthan Royals reached the final whereas Gujarat Titans played in the IPL for the first time. There was a grand opening ceremony before the final, and the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad also filled with lights in the middle of the innings. Gujarat Titans’ ‘home ground’ was ready for the festival. For Rajasthan, on the other hand, it was the occasion to dedicate the title to their only title-winning captain Shane Warne who passed away last March. Like the first qualifier, the result of the fight between the two teams did not change even after coming to the final. Under ‘new’ captain Hardik Pandya, the ‘new’ Gujarat team won the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 title.
A new champion
Gujarat, who had completed half the job by restricting Rajasthan to 130 runs, overcame it with 7 wickets and 11 balls to spare. After Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016, IPL saw a new champion again, Gujarat won the title for the first time after Rajasthan in 2008. And Pandya led from the front.
Early pressure on Gujarat’s batting
In the history of IPL finals, there was only one record of winning with less than 130 runs – Mumbai Indians won in 2017. Perhaps that was Rajasthan’s biggest inspiration in the middle of the innings. In the very first over, they got a chance. Shubman Gill edged a ball, towards forward square leg, off Trent Boult in the first over, but Yuzvendra Chahal could not take it. In the second over, however, Gujarat got the breakthrough. Wriddhiman Saha, 5 off 7 balls, got bowled by Prasidh Krishna’s seam-up delivery. Gujarat also lost Matthew Wade in the Powerplay, falling prey to Trent Boult. In the first 6 overs, Gujarat were 31 for 2, the pressure of the final was evident in Gujarat’s batting.
Pandya and Gill batted cautiously
Rajasthan kept the pressure on in the next 2 overs after the first powerplay as well. Gujarat’s pressure was relaxed a bit when two fours came off the ninth over bowled by Prasidh Krishna. Though Pandya and Gill were playing Chahal cautiously in the middle. In the 12th over, Sanju Samson had to bring in Ravichandran Ashwin while both the batters were right-handers. Pandya reduced the gap between required runs and the ball to 6 by hitting a six and a four off that over.
Chahal’s beautiful delivery got Pandya out
Chahal broke Pandya-Gill’s 63-run stand off 53 balls, in his final over. A beautiful delivery by Chahal kissed Pandya’s bat, who scored 34 off 30 balls. The ball pitched on middle and leg, and spinned seven degrees away. Even Warne was supposed to be proud of that Chahal delivery. However, Jaiswal did not make a mistake in the slips. With that wicket, Chahal became the highest wicket taker of this season in the TATA Indian Premier League.
Miller and Gill finished in style
But David Miller, who is in great form, was still there, and so was Gill. Miller, who is strong against spin, attacked Ashwin. He did not care about the pacers either. In his fast-paced innings, the task became quite easy for Gujarat. Gill, who was unbeaten on 45 off 43 balls, ensured their victory with a six off Obed McKay. Miller remained unbeaten on 32 off 19 balls.
Pandya grabbed the Player of the Match award
Pandya grabbed the Player of the Match award with his all-round performance. Although he could not finish the job in batting, it was Pandya who had earlier led Gujarat with the bowling. Although he was not regular in bowling this season, he came as the fifth bowler in the final and took 3 wickets for 17 runs in 4 overs, that too of Rajasthan’s ‘Big Three’ – Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, Shimron Hetmyer. Rashid Khan and Pandya together took 4 wickets for just 35 runs in 8 overs.
Gujarat pacer capitalized the assistance from the wicket
After losing the toss and electing to field, the Gujarat pacers have capitalized the assistance from the wicket brilliantly. Against the tight bowling of Mohammed Shami and Yash Dayal, Rajasthan managed to hit only one boundary in the first two overs of the innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal, 22 off 16 balls, wanted to open his arms but was caught at mid-wicket in the fourth over going for another six after hitting a six off Yash Dayal.
Rajasthan dawdled throughout the innings
In the previous two matches of the tournament, Rajasthan played Rashid Khan cautiously. He was brought in by Hardik Pandya in the last over of the Powerplay. Sanju Samson got a four off Rashid’s first ball due to misfield, but they did not attack the Afghan leg-spinner. Buttler hit Lockie Ferguson for two consecutive fours in the seventh over after scoring 44 runs in 6 overs of the Powerplay, but Rajasthan then dawdled again.
Gujarat’s ‘hero’ is Pandya
From the eighth to the 14th — only two boundaries came in these 7 overs. During this time, Pandya returned Sanju Samson, 14 runs off 11 balls and was caught in a mistimed shot by the Rajasthan captain while hitting a good length ball at backward point. Rashid then took out the wicket of Padikkal. Down to four, Padikkal scored just 2 runs off 10 balls. Rajasthan got the biggest hit off the first ball of the 13th over. Gujarat’s ‘hero’ is Pandya again. This time his prey is Jos Buttler. Buttler scored 25 off the first 25 balls, and he had a slow start in the first qualifier against Gujarat as well. Buttler, who scored 89 off 56 balls that day, returned in this match with 39 off 35 balls.
The overs are coming to an end with the loss of wickets – Rajasthan are under double pressure. Shimron Hetmyer tried a little bit by hitting Pandya for two fours, but it didn’t take long for Pandya to take ‘revenge’. Hetmyer jabbed a delivery off Pandya towards midwicket and Pandya took the catch safely. After that, Rajasthan could not find a way to score big and did not get a second title. The night belongs to Pandya, the night is of Gujarat.
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