2 mistakes and 1 masterstroke by MI in their IPL 2023 Qualifier 2 vs GT
The Mumbai Indians (MI) failed to clinch a spot in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) final as they fell to the Gujarat Titans (GT) by 62 runs in Qualifier 2 on Friday, May 26 in Ahmedabad.
Rohit Sharma and Co. had won six of their last eight IPL 2023 matches heading into Qualifier 2 and had also beaten the defending champions in their second league meeting. However, GT showed their class in both departments as Shubman Gill led the way with a stellar century.
MI will now have to reflect on a campaign where they arguably punched above their weight to finish in the top four and clinch a playoff spot. They will be left to rue a couple of decisions that they made in the knockout clash against the Titans.
Here are two mistakes and one masterstroke made by MI in their IPL 2023 Qualifier 2 clash against GT.
#3 Mistake - Rohit Sharma opened alongside Nehal Wadhera, who tried to slog Mohammad Shami
After Ishan Kishan suffered an elbow to the face in bizarre circumstances in the first innings, he wasn't cleared to bat by the time the chase commenced. As it turned out, he would play no further part in the contest.
MI had some decisions to make, and they decided to open with Nehal Wadhera alongside Rohit Sharma. They had another option in Cameron Green, who has occasionally opened the batting to great effect in white-ball cricket. If they wanted to go down the unconventional route, the five-time champions could've even sent in a pinch-hitter to maximize the powerplay.
Wadhera, who is a good player of spin, was never going to be the ideal choice. Having been sent in, though, the southpaw should've exercised caution against Mohammad Shami, who has been lethal in the powerplay this year. He played a wild hoick across the line to be dismissed in the very first over.
MI were immediately on the back foot in the chase, with both their decision to open with Wadhera and the left-hander's shot selection leaving a lot to be desired.
#2 Masterstroke - Tilak Varma ensured that MI were in the game in the middle overs
MI lost Wadhera in the very first over. Green retired hurt in the second over after copping a blow to the arm from Hardik Pandya. Rohit followed soon after in the third, falling to Shami.
Mumbai had their backs against the wall when Tilak Varma, all of 20 years of age, came to the crease at No. 5. The target was daunting, the opposition bowlers were deadly, and the batting resources in the shed were dwindling at a rapid rate.
Tilak's knock lasted only 14 balls, but it was something to behold. The southpaw smashed Shami for four fours and a six in his third over, by which time the ball had stopped nipping around. He hit a four and two sixes off the others as well, racing away to 43 off just 13 balls.
Tilak eventually played a needless shot off the final ball of the powerplay to throw his wicket away to Rashid Khan, but by the time he got out, MI had maximized the powerplay and consequently had some breathing room in the middle overs. If not for the youngster's blitz, Mumbai would've never been in the hunt.
#1 Mistake - Mumbai sent in Tim David too late, once again
Tim David batted lower down the order for MI throughout IPL 2023, with the franchise deciding to use him as a finisher. He didn't face more than 25 balls in any of his 15 innings in the competition and only faced more than 15 twice.
In Qualifier 2, Mumbai really needed to bank on a David blitz to take them home after Suryakumar Yadav was castled by Mohit Sharma. But they decided to send in Vishnu Vinod, who made five runs off seven balls before being deceived by a slower ball.
David, meanwhile, came in at No. 7 and lasted three balls. He was trapped in front by Rashid, forced to take the attack to the dangerous spinner with the asking rate mounting.