IPL 2023 - Live Report: Gujarat Titans vs Delhi Capitals, Ahmedabad

Team No. 10 have beaten Team No. 1. And in what dramatic fashion! From being 23 for 5, they crept up to 130. And that was enough! Against the best chasers of the IPL since 2022. Incredible IPL...

The anti-climax. The veteran Ishant picks off Tewatia and Titans need 9 in 2 balls. The Capitals enjoyed that wicket. But Rashid Khan is perhaps the perfect man for this situation. He's on strike.

18.3 – win prob 3.71%
18.4 – win prob 7.96%
18.5 – win prob 21.40%
18.6 – win prob 82.26%.

All thanks to one man.

Nortje delivers three yorkers to start the 19th. But then bowls a low full toss and Tewatia deposits him for six. And then six more. And then six more AGAIN! Total of 18 off the last three balls and Titans need just 12 off the last over

Concedes just four singles. What more can you ask from a bowler at the death on his return to the side? He finishes with 2-24.

'nuff said. Titans need 37 in 17.

Given the responsibility of bowling the 17th, Kuldeep concedes just five to round up a terrific spell.

Hardik reached his 50 in that over but his celebration was muted. Game in a precarious position with Titans needing 37 in 3. And now three overs of pace remaining - Khaleel for the 18th and then Ishant and Nortje.

Will this be the over Abhinav attacks? Oh yes, it is, but he fails to clear the straight boundary! Pace off from Khaleel for 17.1, and Aman with a simple catch at long on. Abhinav out for 26 (33) and Titans are 94/5 needing 37 in 2.5 overs.

He's closed the door for a wicket from his end, and two boundaries off Axar Patel and Anrich Nortje have kept Titans' required run-rate to around 10. The game goes in the Titans' favour now with Capitals not finding a way to break this partnership. Hardik 49*, Abhinav 23* with the latter applying himself well given the situation. Titans need 42 in 24

In the 24 balls between overs 11 to 14, the Titans make only 22 runs but importantly lose no further wicket. They've knocked it around for the most part, not particularly looking bogged down, but just playing defensively after the early jolt. Last time out taken with Titans 71 for 4 in 14.

The required run-rate is 10 and for the first time, the Capitals are favourites on ESPNcricinfo's Forecaster with a 56-44 advantage at this stage.

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They're 49 for 4 in 10, helped in part by a big six from Abhinav Manohar off Axar Patel. The Titans have always found different players from their XIs who have turned out to be match-winners. Shami did his part in the first innings but they need a batting match-winner tonight. Warner brings back Ishant again for the 11th. After these two batters, its only Tewatia, Rashid and the bowlers.

David Miller and run chases are like hot samosas on a rainy day. Just the perfect combination. But today ain't the day for Miller. Out for a duck trying to play a scoop off Kuldeep Yadav. Kuldeep kept it stump-to-stump and earned his reward, dismissing Miller for the first time in an IPL 2023 chase.

David Warner is ecstatic too. Titans 33/4 in six overs, eerily similar to Capitals' score at the same time. Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav are ranked No. 2 and No. 4 on economy rates for spinners in IPL 2023. Expect both to give the Titans a middle-overs squeeze now.

The Titans are three down in the powerplay! And it's thanks to an Ishant Sharma slower ball that Vijay Shankar failed to hit. It is game on folks. Wickets of Hardik and the incoming David Miller over the next six overs can swing the game in DC's favour.

Titans get their first runs after 1.5 overs, and then Gill and Hardik hammer Ishant and Khaleel for four fours.

However, Gill then hits Nortje's first ball straight to a diving Yash Dhull at cover point and Titans are 16/2. Gill has extraordinary T20 numbers in Ahmedabad but not tonight.

Here's Vijay Shankar joining Hardik.

Khaleel Ahmed had sustained a hamstring injury after the first game this season. The Capitals very nearly replaced him with some players being trialed between games in the nets.

But Khaleel has fully recovered, returned to the side as an Impact Player, and has produced a wicket maiden. Titans 0/1 in one over with Saha's poor batting form continuing. The wicket maiden was just what the Capitals needed. A terrific over where he beat Saha's edge three times before edging the over's last delivery to the keeper.

Aman Hakim Khan's father wanted him to be a fast bowler, which meant he rarely got a chance to bat in his formative years. The turning point came when he had a road accident in which he injured his thigh and toe, but still played the next day and scored 60 in a local Under-14 tournament. Today he hit his first T20 half-century.

Breaking down the DC innings into four quarters.

Overs 1-5: 23/5 (23/5)
Overs 6-10: 31/0 (54/5)
Overs 11-15: 24/1 (78/6)
Overs 16-20: 52/2 (130/8)

The powerplay was like a dream sequence for Titans and Shami. Credit to Aman, Axar and Ripal that the Capitals finished on 130 from that position. They could've breached 140 but Mohit's tidy final over stops their charge. Titans 83% favourites to win this game courtesy Shami's 4 for 11, Mohit's 2-33 and good controlled spells from the spinners, Hardik and Little.

Mohit and Titans want the dangerous Aman to return to the dug out. So they go up for THIS LBW. Contender for one of the worst reviews of all time.

But Rashid gets Aman in the 19th. He falls for his highest T20 score of 51 (44). His innings has given the Capitals bowlers something to bowl at. Now Capitals will hope Ripal can give them a big finish. Ripal is on 22 off 11 with one over to go. Capitals 127/7 in 19

Aman Hakim Khan and Ripal Patel with some lusty blows and Capitals have taken out 29 runs off overs 16 and 17.

Capitals are 107 for 7 in 17. Can they touch 140?! Aman on 42, Ripal on 14.

Here's how the 16th and 17th went, bowled by Mohit and Little.

He did his bit in a 50-run partnership with Axar Patel, but once the senior man fell to Mohit Sharma, the responsibility has shifted to Aman Hakim Khan. He hits Mohit for four and six to drag Capitals to 91/6 in 16 overs. He's on 35 in 36, trying to change gears after having to play with a defensive mindset through the middle overs. Can he, Ripal and the rest drag Capitals past 120?

A score of 126 was defended yesterday, sure, but this is a much better batting surface. The pitch and ball has gone docile after the powerplay, with spin not doing much either. Even if the Capitals were only three down after the powerplay, they could've got a solid total on this pitch. Sadly for them they lost five.

When experts said Axar Patel had to bat earlier in an innings, this is not what they meant.

But while he's there, the Capitals will have hope, since he is their form man. He has improved his batting, averaging 39.3 w/ a strike rate of 147 since IPL 2022. Axar also has the most runs for people coming in at No. 7 and below. He also has the second-most sixes (20) behind only Russell from lower down. His average of 87 against spin will also give Capitals hope against Rashid and Noor. With a six off Rashid, he also goes past 227 season runs, making IPL 2023 his best batting season.

For Aman Hakim Khan, this is the kind of day you wait for. An opportunity lift your team when the chips are down. He needs to hang around with Axar. And remember, Capitals could use an Impact Player to extend their batting. Capitals 54/5 in 10

The camera pans to Shami getting a massage near the dug out, and he has rightfully earned his break.

Three overs with the new ball and four wickets for him, including three edged to the wicketkeeper.

He started off with a lucky wicket, getting Salt to drive to cover but after that Pandey, Rossouw and Garg have simply been outdone by quality. The Pandey wicket took a bit of fielding brilliance from Saha but all three caught-behinds were set up by Shami.

Throw in that David Warner run out, and the Capitals have Everest to climb.

Oh. And Rashid Khan is yet to bowl. Capitals 28/5 in six overs

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There are catches. And then there are CATCHES. Wriddhiman Saha with a stunning dive to his right and it is time for Manish Pandey to walk back. Shami with a wobble-seam delivery tempting Pandey to drive.

Amazing agility from Saha there, taking his second catch in two overs. Showing he's still a frontrunner for the title of India's best wicketkeeper. Capitals 22/4 in the fifth over, with Shami extending his lead among IPL 2023 wicket-takers. This is one of the best powerplay bowling spells.

AND BEFORE I CAN TYPE THIS, Saha-Shami combine for another wicket. This time Garg driving close to his body and edging to Saha with the ball jagging away. Shami with a fourth and Capitals are 23 for 5.

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Mohammed Shami is bowling beautiful lines and Rossouw has poked one to the wicketkeeper. Capitals have lost three of their overseas batters and look out of sorts.

Their middle order had looked very weak and Capitals were relying heavily on their top three for the runs. Back again to Manish Pandey, Garg and later Axar Patel to rescue this innings.

Rossouw was brought in because Marsh was ill. There were some calls from DC fans that Rovman Powell would've been a better replacement.

Shami meanwhile goes 2-6 in two overs with Capitals at 16/3 in three

Hardik Pandya bowls the second over. Priyam Garg pushes to midwicket and takes a few steps forward. David Warner, though, is racing down the pitch and then sees Garg not running. By the time Warner can turn around, Rashid's running to the bowler's end. And Warner is GONE too.

Capitals 6/2 and in a whole lotta trouble.

Who is to blame? Tell us in the poll. Could also be a factor of these two not batting together before.

Imagine getting a slot delivery but driving straight to cover. Well, that's Phil Salt's fate as Mohammed Shami strikes first ball. Sunil Gavaskar on TV says Salt's mistake was not leaning into the drive, instead reaching at it. Who are we to refute that? Here's Priyam Garg at No. 3. Capitals 0/1 in 0.1 overs thanks to David Miller's safe hands.

And with nine wickets, Shami is the leading wicket-taker in powerplays for IPL 2023.

There was no need for the coin flip. Capitals choose to bat first with Titans wanting to bowl first anyway.

Titans have no changes but Capitals are without in-form Mitchell Marsh who is ill. Rilee Rossouw returns as does Khaleel Ahmed who was injured.

Capitals appear to be playing to their strength, letting their bowlers deal with pressure later and allowing their batters to score freely without a target to fret about. Good luck to them because Titans have a 92% win record chasing since IPL 2022.

India first heard about him when he signed up for the IPL auction as a 15 year old. Now 18, he is sometimes overshadowing his idol at Gujarat Titans. Here's our exclusive catch up with teen wristspinner Noor Ahmed from Afghanistan.

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