By Razeen Gutta
On a day of three centuries, where three teams eyed one available playoff spot, it was the Mumbai Indians that were helped into fourth place by Shubman Gill and the Gujarat Titans.
Reigning champions Gujarat picked up another win to get to 20 points as the log leaders. For Royal Challengers Bangalore, however, it will be another trophyless season.
Following Mumbai’s win over the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the early game, where Cameron Green made a sublime 47-ball hundred, Rohit Sharma and company would turn their attention to events over 1,000 kilometres away in Bangalore.
A stormy Sunday afternoon ensured a delayed start, but once the game got underway the hosts would get off to a flying start.
With the Chinnaswamy fans behind the team, captain Faf du Plessis got to 28 off 19 balls while Virat Kohli played the duration of the innings to mark back-to-back centuries when his side needed him the most.
RCB got to 197/5 — a good looking score until Gill got going.
King Kohli may have got hearts racing in the first innings, but Gill is not called the prince of Indian cricket for no reason. The 23-year-old opener played a phenomenal knock of 104 in 52 to get his side over the line almost single handedly.
2/32 from Mohammed Siraj took the game down to the final over, but the day would ultimately end in pin-drop silence — as Mumbai remained in fourth place and RCB’s wait for a first trophy goes on.
With the league stages now complete, the action will continue with the playoffs on Tuesday; as the Titans take on the Chennai Super Kings with a place in the final up for grabs.
The losers there will take on the winner of Lucknow Super Giants versus Mumbai Indians before the final takes centre stage in Ahmedabad next Sunday.
Pictured above: Shubman Gill
Image source: @Gujarat_Titans
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