IPL: Gill, Sudharsan centuries ensure vital win for Gujarat

AHMEDABAD, India (AP):

Centuries by Shubman Gill and opening partner Sai Sudharsan spearheaded Gujarat Titans to a 35-run win over Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League yesterday.

Captain Gill, left out of India’s T20 World Cup squad, made 104 off 55 balls and left-hander Sudharsan was equal to the task in raising his maiden IPL hundred with a splendid 103 off 51 balls.

Their total of 231-3 was briefly challenged while Daryl Mitchell (63) and Moeen Ali (56) were batting, but Chennai fell short at 196-8.

Medium-pacer Mohit Sharma dismissed both half-century-makers in his 3-31.

Chennai’s loss tightened up the race to the playoffs. Chennai remained in the fourth and last playoff spot while Gujarat were just outside but need to win their last two matches by big margins to drastically improve their net run rate.

Chennai sorely missed their frontline injured pacer Matheesha Pathirana and departed Mustafizur Rahman as Gill and Sudharsan paced the Gujarat innings.

Except for Shardul Thakur, who conceded only 25 runs, the other Chennai bowlers couldn’t stem the flow. Fast bowler Simarjeet Singh, in his second game of the season, was smashed for 60 off his four overs and Ravindra Jadeja was taken out of the attack after conceding 29 off his two overs of left-arm spin.

Both Gujarat openers reached their centuries off 50 balls and raised the joint-highest first-wicket stand of 210 runs in IPL history. Chennai recovered briefly in the death overs and conceded just one boundary in the last three overs.

Tushar Deshpande dismissed both century-makers in the 18th over. Sudharsan, who hit seven sixes and five fours, holed out at extra cover and Gill was deceived by a slower ball and was caught at deep midwicket after hitting six sixes and nine fours.

Chennai slumped to 10-3. David Miller ran out Rachin Ravindra in the first over, Sandeep Warrier dismissed Ajinkya Rahane, and Gaikward went for a duck after a splendid catch by Rashid Khan on the boundary.

Mitchell and Ali shared a 109-run stand for the third wicket but they were bagged by Sharma in his first two overs and Chennai couldn’t recover.