IPL 2023: Gujarat Titans vs Lucknow Super Giants, Match 51 - Talking Points and Who Said What?

Gujarat Titans (GT) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) squared off in the 51st match of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday, May 7 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Krunal Pandya, the stand-in skipper of LSG, won the toss and invited GT to bat first.

GT posted 227 runs on the board, thanks to magnificent knocks from Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill. However, despite a strong start from openers Kyle Mayers and Quinton de Kock, LSG failed to chase down the target as GT restricted them to 171 runs. 

Here are the Talking Points from the GT vs LSG clash-

Wriddhiman Saha's powerful knock

Wicketkeeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha was outstanding for Gujarat Titans as he scored his first half-century in the ongoing IPL. He scored 81 off 43, including 10 boundaries and four maximums before being dismissed by Avesh Khan. His knock proved to be integral to the defending champions posting a mammoth 227 runs on the board for LSG to chase.

Shubman Gill's fiery knock

The young Indian opener Shubman Gill was on fire during the GT innings, scoring his fourth half-century of the season. He amassed an unbeaten 94 off 51 deliveries at a strike rate of 184.31. His knock was studded with two fours and seven sixes. 

Quinton de Kock's powerful knock in his first match this season

The keeper-batter produced an outstanding display in his first match in the ongoing IPL season. He amassed 70 off 41 balls and provided LSG a sigh of hope during the chase. His knock was laced with seven boundaries and three maximums.

Losing skipper Krunal Pandya said: 

We gave too many runs in the first innings. When it's 227, you have to go hard every over. The surface played really well. The batters said it was a good wicket to bat on. Had we restricted them to 200-210, we would have had a chance. God has been kind to us, our family is proud, Mom is happy. She said at the end of the day, two points will come home only. There is so much of love between me and Hardik, there's hardly any banter. I can tell him about that (the catch), definitely.

Winning skipper Hardik Pandya said:

I can't ask anything more from the boys. The way the game changed after that, at one point I thought the game was even stevens and that catch was match changing. We were both driving at 100kph as a team but that catch caused a bump in their chase. I don't think so, my love towards him is very strong, I won't be bragging. It wouldn't have been nice if it was a little tighter and we had won, he could have also had some bragging rights.

Player of the Match Shubman Gill said: 

They were going well in the powerplay but our bowlers bowled well especially Mohit bhai. They restrict their batting line up to under 180 which was a great effort. Just to be able to share his (Saha) experience, I stand next to him at slip, it is phenomenal with the way he keeps going, he's been playing since the first IPL season. I didn't get much to bat in the first few overs but it is important to not get carried away with what your partner is doing. I had not hit sixes in the last two matches and today I struck a few, I always keep working on my skills.