IPL 2023: Gujarat Titans lose all 10 wickets for first time in tournament's history

On Tuesday, May 23, four-time champions Chennai Super Kings defeated Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League 2023, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. After putting up a target of 173 runs for the defending champions to chase, the MS Dhoni-led side managed to restrict the Hardik Pandya-led side to 157 runs in the second innings.

Gujarat made their way into the IPL just last year, when two news teams were added to the tournament. Ever since the IPL 2022, there had not been any instance of Gujarat losing all 10 wickets in a game, before Tuesday. GT had lost nine wickets before facing the final over of the chase.

Their loss was confirmed, but a brilliant running-catch by Deepak Chahar on the final ball led to GT losing their final wicket on the final delivery of the game, thereby making it the first ever instance of the team losing all the wickets on the field.

Gujarat did not get off to the best of starts, as opener Wriddhiman Saha walked back to the pavilion in the third over, scoring 12 runs off 11 deliveries, courtesy of Deepak Chahar. Maheesh Theekshana then struck in the final over of the powerplay (sixth) and dismissed the opposition skipper as Hardik Pandya failed to go big yet again. 

Dasun Shanaka then joined hands with the in-form Shubman Gill to stabilise the innings, but failed to make an impact as he fell prey to Ravindra Jadeja. Wickets kept falling on regular intervals as the GT batters could not put up a formidable partnership in the middle. Gill, who was coming on the back of two consecutive centuries, was sent packing by Chahar in the 14th over as GT found themselves in trouble.

All-rounder Rashid Khan provided his side with the much needed momentum towards the fag end of the game, but nothing much could have been done as the CSK bowlers were at their best. Matheesha Pathirana gave away quite a few extra runs, but eventually managed to do well and got a wicket off the final delivery when he dismissed Mohammed Shami, which led to Gujarat being all-out for 157 runs and CSK winning the game by 15 runs.