Skipper Hardik Pandya led from the front with both bat and ball as Gujarat Titans clinched their maiden IPL title by defeating the Rajasthan Royals by 7 wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler got Rajasthan off to a quickfire start. The duo added 31 runs for the opening wicket before the former miscued a short ball from Yash Dayal to Sai Kishore at deep square leg for 22.
Sanju Samson fell to his counterpart, trying to pull a short delivery, but ended up skying a simple catch To Sai Kishore at short third man for 14.
Devdutt Padikkal (2) departed cheaply , slashing a cut off Rashid Khan to Mohammed Shami at short third man.
Hardik then struck a vital blow by claiming the prize scalp of the in form Jos Buttler, nicking one to Wriddhiman Saha behind the stumps for a 35 ball-39.
Rajasthan lost half their side for 94, as Shimron Hetmyer chipped a return catch to GT skipper for 11.
Mohammed Shami then castled Riyan Parag (15) with a brilliant yorker off the final delivery, as Rajasthan Royals finished at 130/9 in their allotted 20 overs.
For Gujarat, Hardik Pandya was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/17, while Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore claimed 2 wickets.
Chasing 131, Shubman Gill got a reprieve in the first over when Yuzvendra Chahal failed to hold onto the chance at forward square leg off Trent Boult.
However Prasidh Krishna drew first blood by cleaning up Wriddhiman Saha bowled, through the gap between the bat and the pad.
Matthew Wade’s poor run with the bat continued as he miscued a flick off Boult to Parag at short midwicket for 8.
Gill along with skipper Hardik Pandya featured in a 63 run stand for the third wicket before the latter was caught at slip by Jaiswal off Yuzvendra Chahal for a 30 ball-34.
David Miller then scored a quickfire unbeaten 32 off 19 balls to take Gujarat to a comfortable seven wicket win.