AHMEDABAD: There's a reason why Gujarat Titans (GT) continue to back southpaws Sai Sudharsan (45 off 36b; 4x4, 1x6) and David Miller (44* off 27b; 4x4, 2x6)-because, more often than not, the duo have delivered over the last two seasons.
On Sunday too, despite being pegged back in the middle overs by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) bowlers, the pair stitched a crucial 64-run partnership off 42 balls, of which the last 24 runs came off six balls, to guide the Titans to a comfortable seven-wicket win at the Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad.
The 16th over, bowled by leg spinner Mayank Markande, saw the pair taking the Punjab bowler to the cleaners. Miller began with boundaries on either side of the ground before Sudharsan lifted Markande for a maximum between long-on and deep mid-wicket. The South African then lifted him over the long-on fence off the last ball to tilt the chase in Titans' favour.
The duo came together after captain Shubman Gill (36, 28b; 2x4, 1xx6) departed. Gill's bid to take on Markande was unsuccessful as he was caught at wide long-on by Abdul Samad. Opener Wriddhiman Saha's 25 (13b; 1x4, 2x6) had given the Titans a swift beginning but he was caught by SRH captain Pat Cummins at mid-on off Ahmed's bowling.
Earlier, cameos from Samad (29 off 14b; 3x4, 1x6) and Ahmed (22 off 20b; 1x4, 1x6) guided SRH to 162-8 after they had slipped to 114-5 in 14.4 overs. Their openers Mayank Agarwal and Travis Head put on 34 for the opening wicket in four overs. However Agarwal (16 off 17b; 2x4) holed out to deep square-leg off Azmatullah Omarzai's bowling.
Southpaw Abhishek Sharma (29 off 20b; 2x4, 2x6) smashed leg-spinner Rashid Khan for two maximums to take SRH to 56 after the first powerplay. Head's attempted hoick off left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad's bowling saw his stumps get shattered.
Abhishek spooned a catch to Gill at extra cover to be sent back by Mohit Sharma (3/25 in 4 overs). Heinrich Klassen (24 off 13b; 1x4, 2x6) joined Aiden Markram (17 off 19b) and though the former smashed Noor for two sixes over the mid-wicket boundary in the 13th over, Khan's quicker one disturbed his stumps in the next over.
1/10:Mohit, Miller steer GT to win vs SRH
<p>Read more on TOI Sports</p>AFP
2/10:MAGNIFICENT WIN
<p>Mohit Sharma's bowling figures of 3-25 and an unbeaten 44 by David Miller powered Gujarat Titans to their second IPL win with a thrashing of Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday.<br /></p>AFP
3/10:MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
<p>Gujarat restricted Hyderabad to 162-8, a total they overhauled with seven wickets and five balls to spare at their home Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.</p>AFP
4/10:POOR OUTING
<p>Hyderabad skipper Pat Cummins came to the venue with happy memories after he led Australia to an ODI World Cup triumph at the 132,000-capacity stadium last year, but this time, the home team ruled.</p>IANS
5/10:CAPTAIN'S KNOCK
<p>Shubman Gill made 36 to add to his team's attacking start after fellow opener Wriddhiman Saha smashed a 13-ball 25 and set up the chase.</p>PTI
6/10:IMPACT SUBSTITUTE
<p>Sai Sudarshan then came in as impact substitute in place of Mohit and put on a key 64-run third-wicket stand with fellow left-hander Miller.</p>AFP
7/10:MAGNIFICENT KNOCK
<p>Sudarshan fell for 45 off Cummins but Miller stood firm to steer the team home with Vijay Shankar at the other end in an unbeaten stand of 30.</p>PTI
8/10:KILLER MILLER
<p>Gujarat needed 49 from the last 30 balls before Miller and Sudarshan smashed Mayank Markande in a 24-run 16th over to ease into the chase.</p>AFP
9/10:VETERAN PACER
<p>Mohit, 35, set up victory with his medium-pace bowling as he struck three times including the key wicket of Abhishek Sharma, who made 29 off 20 balls.</p>AFP
