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Gujarat Titans enter IPL 2022 Playoffs: How GT qualified for knockouts, key players, stats, captain's comments

Gujarat Titans enter IPL 2022 Playoffs: GT defeated Lucknow Super Giants by 62 runs to qualify for IPL playoffs. Here is how they qualified, key players and their stats.

Gujarat Titans enter IPL 2022 Playoffs

Mumbai, May 10: Gujarat Titans became the first team to qualify for the IPL 2022 Playoffs after they defeated fellow newcomers Lucknow Super Giants by a massive 62 runs on Tuesday (May 10).

Now, they have 18 points from 12 matches and it is impossible to dislodge GT from the top 4 group of teams, thereby assuring them a playoffs berth.

The Lucknow Super Giants have 16 points from 12 matches and they still have a good chance to enter the playoffs if they win one of the remaining two matches and their net run rate of +0.385 is also the best in the IPL 2022 so far.

The playoff berth was a just reward for the Gujarat Titans and the brand of consistent cricket they played in the IPL 2022 under Hardik Pandya.

Here we are looking at how the GT entered the IPL 2022 playoffs, the key players and the remaining matches etc.

1 How did GT enter IPL 2022 playoffs

Match 1: GT beat LSG by 5 wickets (2 pts)


Match 2: GT beat DC by 14 runs (4 pts)

Match 3: GT beat PBKS by 6 wickets (6 pts)

Match 4: GT lost to SRH by 8 wickets

Match 5: GT beat RR by 37 runs. (8 pts)

Match 6: GT beat CSK by 3 wickets (10 pts)

Match 7: GT beat KKR by 8 runs (12 pts)

Match 8: GT beat SRH by 5 wickets (14 pts)

Match 9: GT beat RCB by 6 wickets (16 pts)

Match 10: GT lost to PBKS by 8 wickets

Match 11: GT lost to MI by 5 runs.

Match 12: GT beat LSG by 62 runs. (18 points, enter playoffs)

2 Six Key Performers for GT, stats

1 Hardik Pandya: When Hardik was made GT skipper ahead of IPL 2022 everyone scoffed at the move. But a month or so into the IPL, Hardik stands tall as the leader of the first team that has entered the IPL 2022 playoffs. With the bat he made 344 runs from 11 matches at an average of 38.22 with a fine strike rate of 131 with 3 fifties. He also has taken 4 wickets.

2 David Miller: When GT signed Miller from the IPL auction, it was viewed mostly as a mercy signing or at the best as a back-up option. But the South African has proved everyone wrong. He played the role of a finisher with aplomb for GT. Miller currently is the third most run-scorer for the Titans with 332 runs at 55.33 and his strike rate is 141.27. Miller has also made a good alliance with Rahul Tewatia in the middle-order.

3 Shubman Gill: The young opener seemed to have rediscovered his mojo after a tepid IPL 2021 with KKR. Mostly came out as opener for Gujarat Titans, Gill used the chance to pile some runs for himself and that has also helped the team in turn. Gill so far has made 384 runs from 12 matches, highest yet for the GT, at an average of 34.90 with 4 fifties and his strike rate too is a healthy 137.14.

4 Rahul Tewatia: The left-hander has scored just 215 runs from 12 matches at average of 35 and at a strike rate of 149.30. However, his value is much more than those numbers. But most of his runs came at a crucial juncture for GT. Who can forget his remarkable onslaught on Odean Smith of Punjab Kings, those two sixes when Gujarat needed 12 runs off 2 balls to win?

5 Rashid Khan: It is rather naive to even have a thought about the impact Rashid Khan bring on a match. Once SRH discarded the all-rounder, GT had no qualms in drafting him in from the player drafts ahead of the auction. It proved master stroke. Rashid has so far taken 15 wickets from 12 matches and he has also choked runs for rival teams as evidenced by his economy of 6.79 in the IPL. He was one hard nut to get away. Rashid has also contributed occasionally with the bat.

6 Mohammed Shami: The signing of Shami has given a sharp edge to the Gujarat Titans attack. The veteran pacer has used all his expertise to take wickets in the Power Plays and hardly gave anything away in the death overs too, nailing those Yorkers or wicked bouncers. Shami has taken 16 wickets from 12 matches and his economy too remained a respectable 7.87.

Hardik Pandya, the GT Captain

3 GT Captain’s comments

Hardik Pandya: “When we started this journey together, we obviously believed in ourselves, but before the 14th game to have qualified, it's a great effort and really proud of us. I think all the games that we've won, we were always under pressure. The last game was the only game that we were ahead (vs Mumbai Indians) and we knew the kind of batters we have and we'll finish it off. But it did not happen. That was the talk of the group.

“Even in this game when they were eight down, I said, 'Let's be ruthless. This game is beautiful. If it's not over, it's not over. So let's make sure that we finish it. If they're down, let's keep them down, get this done and relax post-game.

I've rated him (Sai Kishore, who made his IPL debut on Tuesday) as a left-arm spinner quite high. He's quite a technical bowler. Because of his height and his pace, he gets a little extra from the wicket. Because of the fast bowling attack, we were not able to make him play.

“But looking at this wicket, we thought if we can add a spinner with the right-handers, it'll make a big difference. The way everyone batted, especially Shubman, I felt with 145 we were in the game. Their bowling, I think they were a little too short. A little fuller length was working. So that was the chat in the group as well.

“The only two shots they can score runs are cover drive, if you bowl really full, or if you give width. The bowlers did everything they're supposed to do and we ticked all the boxes.

“I always feel when you lose a game like we did the last game (vs MI), in a group what is important that you believe is we have won games as a team and we lose games as a team.

We did not do what we were supposed to do and we know messed it up a little, but we will mess it up as a team. How we take credit like we say as a team, 'We won,' we'll make sure that if we lose, we'll say, 'We lost,' instead of saying, 'This guy, that guy.' We kept our laughter too. It's important to make sure the vibe is always there.”

4 Remaining matches of GT

The Gujarat Titans now have 2 matches left in the IPL 2022. On May15, they will face Chennai Super Kings and on May 19th, the GT will take on Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Story first published: Tuesday, May 10, 2022, 23:53 [IST]
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