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Buttler early in the chase.
Hardik Pandya landed the first blow in Jaiswal following which Mohammed Shami sent back Buttler for a duck. A fine show from spinners in the middle overs allowed Rajasthan Royals to keep Gujarat Titans batters in check. David Miller top-scored with 46 while Shubman Gill made as GT posted a challenging 177/7 in 20 overs. They lost Wriddhiman Saha and Sai Sudharsan early in the Powerplay before Gill and captain Hardik Pandya stitched a solid partnership to drive the innings.
Sanju Samson, captain of Rajasthan Royals, won the toss and opted to field first against Gujarat Titans. Trent Boult is back for the visitors while GT will be without Vijay Shankar who has been replaced by Abhinav Manohar.
The last year’s finalists will come face to face again in what is expected to be a thrilling affair at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Gujarat Titans and Rajasthan Royals were clearly the two best teams of the last season and fittingly contested the final as well. However, GT maintained their winning streak against the inaugural champions as they roared to a third straight win over them and in the process became the winners on debut.
The winner of tonight’s clash will also claim the top spot on the points table as well. So far, GT have won three of their four matches for six points. On the other hand, RR have also won three of their four matches so far for six points. The Sanju Samson-led RR are ahead of Hardik Pandya’s GT because of a better net run-rate.
GT bounced back from their first defeat of the season as they completed yet another last-over win over Punjab Kings in Mohali. The contest also saw the return of Pandya into the eleven after he missed the defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders.
RR have been in red-hot form. They started their campaign with a win and a defeat before jotting together two wins in a row including against struggling Delhi Capitals and a tough Chennai Super Kings.
RR though have a fitness concern. Their star pacer Trent Boult missed the CSK game due to a what was described as a ‘small niggle’. They will be hoping their strike bowler to make a full recovery. GT have no injury concern.
RR’s success this season has been built on the form of their openers – Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler. These two have helped them set high scores which the bowlers have backed themselves to defend. Additionally, their spinners – Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal – have been in fine form as well.
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