Like the league stage, we have witnessed some riveting contests in the playoffs of this IPL 2023 season. The Chennai Super Kings took on defending champions Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1, whereas Lucknow Super Giants locked horns with Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator. Here, we shall look at how the matches turned out and try to predict the outcome for the second qualifier.
Qualifier 1: Chennai Super Kings vs Gujarat Titans
When teams take on CSK at their den in Chepauk, it’s one-way traffic on most occasions, and we got to witness the same thing in this contest. The Titans dominated the season and finished at the top of the league stage. But, here, they got completely humbled.
CSK rode on Ruturaj Gaikwad’s fifty and some late cameos from Ambati Rayudu and Ravindra Jadeja to post a competitive total 172/7 on the board. The Titans, in response, didn’t enjoy the best of starts and kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Shubman Gill tried his best to hang around and played a good knock of 42. Rashid Khan also dazzled with a late 16-ball cameo of 30, but neither of their efforts was enough to see them home. The Titans were ultimately bowled out for 157, with as many as four CSK bowlers claiming two wickets each.
Eliminator: Lucknow Super Giants vs Mumbai Indians
The Super Giants took on the Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator at Chepauk. Looking at the conditions, LSG had the advantage going into the contest. But the pitch was much better for batting than it is normally at the venue, and that rendered the LSG spinners completely ineffective. Although they got MI openers Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan dismissed early, some good knocks from Cameron Green, Suryakumar Yadav and Nehal Wadhera propelled Mumbai to a competitive score 182/8.
Lucknow never got going in their chase and lost wickets at regular intervals. Marcus Stoinis threatened to take the game away from Mumbai briefly, but he was run out for a well-made 40 in just 27 deliveries. It was uncapped pacer Akash Madhwal who broke the Super Giants’ back with an exceptional spell of 3.3-0-5-5. LSG got bowled out for 101, and Madhwal was adjudged the Player of the Match. Earlier, Naveen-ul-Haq also bowled an excellent bit of 4-0-38-4 for Lucknow.
Match Prediction
Qualifier 2: Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians
Highest run-scorer Prediction: Shubman Gill
Highest wicket-taker Prediction: Mohammed Shami
This contest will decide the second finalist of this IPL 2023 season. The Titans are coming into this game after a loss against CSK in Qualifier 1, but they will be playing in their home conditions in Ahmedabad now. That gives them a massive advantage going into this contest. Both teams have played each other twice this season and won one each.
On form, Mumbai look quite settled going into this match. But the Titans are a powerful unit, stronger than Mumbai, and they will be looking to shrug off the disappointment of their defeat in the previous match to come out triumphant in this contest. Shubman Gill, Mohammed Shami and Rashid Khan will be Gujarat’s primary weapons here, whereas Mumbai will depend significantly on how Suryakumar Yadav, Cameron Green and Akash Madhwal do. Gujarat are still the favourites to win this battle.
