On May 18, at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium, the GT crushed the Delhi Capitals. Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar gave his thoughts on the match. The visiting team’s absolutely clinical performance was evident as they thrashed the Delhi team and easily won by 10 wickets to secure the eagerly anticipated playoff berth.
In addition, the GT ‘ triumph forced the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings to undergo what Manjrekar sarcastically referred to as “community service.”
Right present, the Capitals, Mumbai Indians, and Lucknow Super Giants are all vying for the fourth playoff spot.
“This is what you have to like about Gujarat Titans—they’ve won the game and done a bit of community service too by helping two other teams qualify. I’m genuinely happy when cricketing logic prevails. When it doesn’t, it bothers me a bit. Now, three strong teams are through,” Manjrekar said on JioHotstar.
“As for the fourth spot, it’s likely between Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians. We’ll find out soon. If Delhi can win their next two, they’ll fully deserve that spot. This match had so many elements, but most importantly—it was a big day. One win, and suddenly you have three teams qualifying at once,” he added.
Manjrekar also emphasised how crucial it is for teams to place in the top two because doing so gives them an extra chance to advance to the final.
Every squad aspires to place in the top two. After two months of league play, you don’t want one knockout match to decide your entire campaign. By providing the top teams with two chances to advance to the final, the play-off structure promotes consistency. You deserve more than a one-night opportunity if you’ve put in that much effort over the course of a season. That is why finishing in the top two is so crucial.
Former India cricket player and Manjrekar’s co-panellist Sanjay Bangar also praised the Titans’ outstanding performance, saying that Sai Sudharsan’s undefeated century (108 off 61) and Shubman Gill’s undefeated 93 off 53 easily defeated a 200-run target.
“Again, outstanding play from the top order—how frequently have they done this recently? It’s astounding how well they complement one another and provide regularly. Over the last year and a half, Shubman has frequently played second fiddle, which is a notable change in his style of play. The lower order has benefited from it because he now plays according to the situation’s demands. Overall, it’s been great,” Bangar remarked.
After Sudharsan’s boundary-filled knock put him ahead of Suryakumar Yadav in the Orange Cap race, Bangar was full of admiration for him. Bangar praised the left-hander’s calm yet expansive style of T20 batting, emphasising his astute shot selection.
Even in this format, Sai Sudharsan’s batting is great because of his control. Whether he’s playing in front of or square of the wicket, the top hand does most of the effort when he looks to hit, and the ball frequently bounces near to him. He opens up and plays lofted strokes with equal assurance after he gets past the first six overs, which is difficult to do. He doesn’t depend on a single score location; his waggon wheel shown runs in every region. His batting has been known for it, and he is now regularly producing these performances.
India
