The first finalist of the IPL 15 season will be announced tomorrow (Tuesday). The Gujarat Titans will take on the Rajasthan Royals in the first qualifier. The winning team can qualify directly for the final. The losing team gets another chance in Qualifier 2. The match will be played at 7.30 pm at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
This is the first season of the Gujarat Titans under the captaincy of Hardik Pandya. Gujarat have won 10 of their last 14 matches. With this, Hardick’s team became the first team to qualify for the play – offs with 20 points. Last time Gujarat faced Rajasthan, captain Hardik Pandya bowled a match-winning innings. Pandya was unbeaten on 87 and took one wicket.
A dangerous bowling unit consisting of Loki Ferguson, Mohammad Shami and Rashid Khan and a credible upper middle order could become a threat to Rajasthan in the final. But the injury of opener and wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha has worried the Titans ahead of the qualifiers. In the match against Chennai Super Kings, Saha did not go down to guard the wicket for GT.
Rajasthan Royals, on the other hand, have won the last two matches of the group stage. One can only guess how dangerous Rajasthan is from having the most wickets and the most runs in a team this season. The team has in-form top order, excellent bowling unit and power hitters. In the group stage, the team won 9 of 14 matches and lost five. Qualifier One is the second match between the Titans and the Royals this season.
Story Highlights: Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals, IPL 2022 Qualifier 1