GT vs MI: I Was Thinking That Had GT Openers Flopped, It Would Have Been Better - Virender Sehwag

Former Indian player Virender Sehwag criticised Gujarat Titans for their approach in their chase against Mumbai Indians on Friday. The IPL 2022 table leaders lost their second game in a row after eking out to MI by five runs at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.

Mumbai Indians rode on Tim David’s late firing (44 in 21 balls) after openers Rohit Sharma (43) and Ishan Kishan (45) provided some crucial runs in the start as they ended with 177 for 6.

Gujarat Titans lost to Mumbai Indians by five runs

Gujarat Titans openers Wriddhiman Saha (55) and Shubman Gill (52) laid the platform for the chase with a stellar 106-run stand between them before the duo departed in the 13th over of Murugan Ashwin.

Sai Sudarshan knocked over his stumps with the bat to get dismissed for hit wicket off Kieron Pollard. After Sudarshan’s departure, it was skipper Hardik Pandya and David Miller’s task to take the side past the finishing line.

The pair seemed confident of accomplishing the job with ease but the run out of Pandya in the 18th overturned the match on its head.

The Gujarat Titans lower-middle batting order comprising Miller, Rahul Tewatia, and Rashid Khan, who have changed the result of matches from a losing position failed to emulate their success against MI.

Miller cranked a powerful shot for a six off Jasprit Bumrah in the penultimate over to pull down the equation to nine runs in the final over.

However, left-arm pacer Daniel Sams bowled an excellent over and denied Miller the onus of finishing the game as MI cruised to a five-run win.

Gujarat Titans’ chase should have been wrapped up with 2 overs to spare: Virender Sehwag

Sehwag said when Gujarat Titans openers perform well, the middle order lost momentum and vice versa.

“I was thinking that had GT openers flopped, it would have been better. Usually, when they flop, they end up winning. Now today they had such a great start, the chase should have been wrapped up with 2 overs to spare,” Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.

“Hardik Pandya and Rahul Tewatia dug their own grave today. They threw away a match that should have been won,” he added.

Gujarat Titans will play their next match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on May 10 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.

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