Gujarat Titans become the first team to qualify for the final of IPL 2022. They defeat Rajasthan Royals in the first qualifier to achieve this feat. And there is only one man to claim the credit: David Miller.
He plundered through the Rajasthan, bowling in the death over to win his team the game comfortably. Miller smashed three consecutive sixes in the final over to win it with 3 balls to spare.
People who saw his free-flowing batting might think it was a flat deck where the ball came onto the bat easily. But if you saw the first inning of the Rajasthan Royals, you know that the conditions were not easy.
The inaugural champions had to face some difficulties in the first inning. Especially at the start of it, where Gujarat bowlers were not allowing them to score freely. Having lost their opening batter Jaiswal at the score of 11, RR looked in all world of trouble.
Although it was a captain’s inning by Sanju Samson, who smashed 47 IN 26, and a return of vintage Buttler that saw them on to a great score, Buttler’s redemption in the first inning was something different.
Having scored just 38 runs from his initial 39 balls, it felt like it wasn’t his day. But if there was one man who could turn it around, it was Jos Buttler. He had done something similar in Sharjah last year. And he did it again by smoking bowlers everywhere to score 50 runs in the next 18 balls.
As a result, Rajasthan posted 188 for Gujarat to chase in the second inning.
It was not an excellent start for Gujarat either. They lost an early wicket in the form of Wriddhiman Saha. However, the top-order batters like Gill and Wade came to Gujarat’s rescue. Together the batters scored a 70-run partnership to stable the ship.
Both of them were removed in the space of 13 runs, and it felt like Rajasthan would dominate the game again. Hardik Pandya and Miller had other plans, though.
Following the philosophy of MS Dhoni, they decided to take the game deep. With 16 runs required off the final over, the game was very much anyone’s taking. And Gujarat emerged victoriously.
The marvelous inning by David Miller saw them become the first finalists of IPL 2022.
Rajasthan will get another bite at the cherry in the second qualifier. They will face the winner of the eliminator in that match. So all hope is not lost for them.
