✨🏏IPL 2022 Final: Gujarat Titans VS Rajasthan Royals 🏏✨

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Gujarat Titans are scheduled to play the Rajasthan Royals in the all-important final of IPL 2022 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

The Hardik Pandya-led side will be confident after winning the Qualifier 1 against the same team and they topped the league stage as well.

They are likely to stick to the same playing XI despite the bowlers going for a few in the previous game.

On the other hand, the Rajasthan Royals dominated the Royal Challengers Bangalore completely in Qualifier 2 to make the final of IPL 2022.

The Sanju Samson-led side has one of the best bowling lineups and the in-form batter Jos Buttler has played a substantial role for the RR in their batting lineup in the last two games.

However, they will know that it will not be easy against Gujarat Titans who have found ways to win in difficult situations.

With two different strategies and two separate sets of successful players - one with too many specialists and lacking depth in either department and the other with a one-dimensional batting approach with personnel handling roles they haven't hitherto been entrusted with in top-flight cricket - the two teams have managed to script their own success stories.

There hasn't been a lot separating the two teams on their road to the final, with Titans winning 11 games compared to Royals' 10, of which seven wins came in the last over.

While it does give a strong indication of their ability to squeeze themselves out of pressure situations, it is also equally indicative that they haven't outplayed teams as much as the victory count so far should suggest.

But what they do have to their advantage is that they are the only team that the Royals haven't beaten so far in this tournament.

Probable Playing XIs for GT vs RR

Gujarat Titans

Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Shubman Gill, Matthew Wade, Hardik Pandya (c), David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Yash Dayal, Alzarri Joseph, Mohammed Shami.

Rajasthan Royals

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson (c & wk), Devdutt Padikkal, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shimron Hetmyer, Riyan Parag, Trent Boult, Prasidh Krishna, Yuzvendra Chahal, Obed McCoy.

Pitch Report

The last encounter at the stadium was relatively a one-sided game, with RR coming out on top against RCB. There was a lot of assistance for the fast bowlers with the new ball while the extra bounce did the trick at times. The skipper that wins the toss will be expected to bowl first as they can pace the innings well and will have time to assess the conditions as well.

The contest will be played on a fresh pitch, but it is unlikely to be as fast as the one in Kolkata, where the two teams previously met. Rajasthan's previous encounter here against RCB saw a pitch that had good bounce, aiding those who hit the back-of-length hard. The temperature could be close to 40 degrees Celsius, but with low humidity.

Probable Top Performers

Hardik Pandya:

Hardik Pandya played another match-winning knock in the previous game alongside David Miller and he has stepped up on important occasions for the Gujarat Titans this season. The skipper has been in good touch in the last two innings and has enjoyed his role at number four especially. With 453 runs in 14 games at an average of 45.30, Pandya will look to finish the tournament on a high.

Rashid Khan:

Rashid Khan was the standout bowler for Gujarat Titans in the previous game and he managed to concede just 15 runs in four overs, in a high-scoring encounter. The Afghanistan spinner will be crucial to the plans of the Gujarat franchise yet again in the final of the edition and he can turn around games from a difficult situation. He has picked up 18 wickets so far in the tournament and will be looking to add some more to his tally.

Did you know?

MI is the only side since 2011 to top the league and win the title. They did it thrice (2017, 2019 and 2020). The side that finished second won the title seven instances since 2011, and they beat the side finishing first in the final on as many as six occasions.

All the eight times Titans chased this season, the match was decided in the final over and seven times they ended up winning. No side has previously won more than five games in a season chasing in the final over.

Royals have hit the most sixes by a team in the season so far while Titans have the most fours, two ahead of Royals. Despite having an ensemble of big hitters, Titans' 75 sixes is the fewest by a team this IPL.

Buttler's 194 runs in the most by a player in IPL Play-Offs in a season surpassing 190 by David Warner in 2016. Buttler currently sits third in the list of most runs in a single IPL - 824.

What they said?

"We've played some unbelievable cricket in the last 14 games and then the playoffs as well. It'll be about going in with the same mindset. I know it's a big final for us but you don't change your skills or your mindset." - Rashid Khan, Gujarat Titans' spinner.

"I was very young and it was the first IPL season and I remember playing an under-16 game somewhere in Kerala and I remember watching the last game with my friends and remember that last run where Shane Warne and Sohail Tanvir hit the run and they were running, it was a very vague memory which I have." Sanju Samson on the memory of watching Rajasthan Royals win the title in 2008.

Rashid Khan has had the measure of Jos Buttler, dismissing the RR opener 4 times in 41 balls, and conceding only 25 runs. The leggie will remain crucial since none of the GT pacers have done well against Buttler. Rashid has even managed to keep Sanju Samson quiet, conceding at only nearly run-a-ball, but dismissed him only once in 77 balls.

Shimron Hetmyer, who has been in good form this season, has historically taken down Rashid Khan. In 45 balls, the southpaw has scored at a strike rate of 140 against the leggie .

RR take the revenge

win the cup 2022

Originally posted by: Nichuss

RR take the revenge

win the cup 2022