So here we are. The first qualifier of the IPL 2023 which pits four-time champions Chennai Super Kings against the defending champions Gujarat Titans. GT topped the league stage for the second year in a row with 10 wins and 20 points. On the other hand, CSK finished second with eight wins and 16 points.
This will be the second time these two teams will be clashing in IPL 2023. They squared off in the season opener at the Narendra Modi Stadium with GT winning by five wickets.
The winner of the first qualifier gets a direct entry into the final while the loser will get another chance through the second qualifier.
Ahead of the contest, here’s a look at the in-form players who can make the difference
Devon Conway
The Kiwi batter has carried his international form into the IPL, becoming a regular with consistent performances throughout. He has been giving CSK solid starts at the top. In 13 innings, Conway has scored 585 runs at a strike-rate of 138.62. He has scored six half-centuries and a top-score of 92 not out.
In CSK’s last league match, Conway made a dominating 87 against Delhi Capitals. He has the ability to shift gears anytime and can play the role of the anchor perfectly if needed.
Ruturaj Gaikwad
One half of the CSK’s solid opening partnership, Gaikwad has quietly accumulated 504 runs without making much noise. He’s been scoring at a fair clip as well and struck three half-centuries so far with a best of 92. His form sort of tapered off midway through the season but against DC, he was back to his fluent best while scoring 79.
Shubman Gill
Gill has been in sensational form for GT during the season. He has clattered back-to-back hundreds joining an elite list of batters to have done so in IPL history that includes Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan and Jos Buttler. He has been going through a purple patch having scored centuries across formats in the past few months including a sensational ODI double-hundred earlier this year.
Gill has taken his tally to 680 runs from 14 innings this season and has an excellent strike-rate of 152.46.
With two centuries in his last two innings, GT will be hoping he carries his form into the playoffs.
Rashid Khan
Legspinner Rashid certainly is one of GT’s prized possessions. It’s difficult to score runs against him with batters generally deploying a defensive mindset considering his propensity to take wickets. 24 wickets at a decent economy of 7.82 from 14 matches prove his massive contribution in pushing GT to the top. In the middle overs, he can choke opponents and create damage with wickets as well.
And then the fact that he can bat as well. An example of it came during GT’s defeat to Mumbai Indians when he lifted them from the depths of 103/8 to 181/8 in 20 overs, threatening to pull off an incredible run-chase. Rashid scored 79* off 32.
Matheesha Pathirana
Known as Junior Malinga thanks to an eerily similar action to that of the Sri Lankan legend, Pathirana has proved he’s got the tools to replicate what his predecessor became famous for – toe-crushing yorkers and applying the choke in the death overs. He has blossomed under the captaincy of MS Dhoni at CSK and has been exclusively used in the death overs where he has excelled. GT will be wary of him.
Vijay Shankar
This season will also be remembered for Shankar’s rise as he repaid the faith shown in him by the GT management, hitting three blistering half-centuries in nine innings. He has faced 178 deliveries and scored 287 runs off them while mostly batting in the middle order. Against RCB, he was promoted to no. 3 in a big chase and after a scratchy start, came into his own to smash a superb fifty.
Comments
0 comment