Gill century helps Gujarat Titans to IPL final
Shubman Gill smashed his third century of the IPL season to help defending champions Gujarat Titans hammer Mumbai Indians by 62 runs on Friday and set up a final against Chennai Super Kings. Gill's 126 off 60 balls powered Gujarat to 233-3, a total they defended by bowling out five-time winners Mumbai for 171 in 18.2 overs in the final playoff which started late due to rain in Ahmedabad. Gill hit 10 sixes in his knock and put on a second-wicket stand of 138 with Sai Sudharsan, who made 43, to tear into the opposition attack at the world's biggest cricket stadium. He became the leading batsman this season with 851 runs, surpassing Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Faf du Plessis (730), before he reached his IPL best and the top score of this season. Fast bowler Mohit Sharma took five wickets for Gujarat, who won last year's crown in a fairytale debut season, after a valiant 61 by Suryakumar Yadav. The 132,000-capacity stadium had over 75,000 fans in attendance to witness the home team triumph. The final will played on Sunday at the same venue after M.S. Dhoni's Chennai beat Gujarat in the first playoff earlier this week. (AFP)