"I should have finished it. I was set and hitting the ball well towards the end" - Vijay Shankar on his 50 vs RCB in IPL 2023
Gujarat Titans (GT) all-rounder Vijay Shankar played a crucial hand in his side's six-wicket win over the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday, May 21.
Shankar's well-compiled 53 runs off 35 deliveries coupled with Shubman Gill's second hundred of the season helped GT chase down the 198-run target with five balls to spare. The win ended GT's league stage on a winning note, while sealing RCB's elimination as well.
The all-rounder struggled initially at the crease with Gill having to maintain the tempo at the other end. The pair shared a 123-run partnership for the second wicket, laying down the platform for the eventual win.
Admitting that he should have finished off the run chase after garnering a solid start, Vijay Shankar said in an interaction with the broadcasters after the win:
"We have been playing good cricket overall and this chase was really needed for us. Going into the playoffs, chasing close to 200 was really satisfying. I should have finished it. I was set and hitting the ball well towards the end, overall it was a wonderful feeling to win the game."
"It was not that easy with the new ball when they bowled the back of a length balls into the pitch, that's the reason why we could not get the ball in the gaps," he added.
The Hardik Pandya-led side finished as league leaders for the second consecutive season. They wrapped up the league stage with 20 points from 14 matches with a net run-rate of +0.809.
"To go out there and face CSK in Chennai is going to be really special" - Vijay Shankar
GT have the opportunity to qualify for the final for the second consecutive time with a win over CSK in Qualifier 1. The franchise had won the title in the previous edition after defeating the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the finals.
Speaking about GT's first trip to Chennai to face MS Dhoni and co, Vijay Shankar said:
"We have been playing good cricket overall, we have been bowling really well, a couple of bowlers leading the charts and Shubman leading the run-scorers and the others chipping in."
"It is about taking it game by game and it is important to enjoy as we don't get to play in the playoffs every season," Shankar continued. "To go out there and face CSK in Chennai is going to be really special. It is a wonderful feeling."
GT emerged as winners the last time these two sides faced each other in the form of the opening match of the 2023 season. CSK are yet to record a win over the defending champions till date.
GT will face four-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday, May 23 at the M.Chidambaram Stadium.