After missing the initial three games, Mohit Sharma made up for the lost chances and jumped to third spot in the IPL 2023 leading wicket takers’ tally with 24 dismissals from 13 matches.
Ahmedabad: Too much experiment spoils the business. Gujarat Titans pacer Mohit Sharma proved the phrase correct as his non-experimental strategy worked against Suryakumar Yadav as the defending champions defeated Mumbai Indians to qualify for the IPL 2023 final.
Defending, a mammoth 234 for a place in the final against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday, Mumbai Indians surrendered in front of Mohit Sharma, who continued his dream comeback run as he grabbed a match-winning 5/10 from 2.2 overs in IPL 2023 Qualifier 2.
Despite losing Neha Wadhera and Rohit Sharma in quick successions, Mumbai Indians came back into the game with Tilak Varma (43, 14 balls), Cameron Green (30, 20 balls) and Suryakumar Yadav (38-ball 61) clobbering the opposition at will. .
However, Suryakumar’s dismissal triggered a collapse and from 155/4 in 14.2 overs, MI folded for 171 in 18.2 overs. Mohit revealed it was going with the basics that proved to be match-winning at the end.
“I was lucky to have taken a quick five-for. Ball was skidding well even in the chase, looked like game will slip when SKY and Tilak got going,” Mohit, a 2014 Purple Cap winner with CSK, said. “I thought I wouldn’t experiment when SKY’s batting. That’s what we studied ahead of the game. We were okay being hit for six sixes off length balls as that’s more difficult,” added the seamer, who has played 26 ODIs and 8 T20Is, including two World Cups for India.
Suryakumar, who blossomed with the bat midway into IPL 2023, including a hundred, has hit a six and was trying to go the same way but Mohit’s full-length delivery outfoxed the batter. SKY missed the ball completely on the leg side and it crashed onto his leg-stump.
Meanhile, it has been a dream journey for the pacer with Gujarat Titans on a comeback trail after being without an IPL contract for two seasons – 2021 and 2022. After missing the initial three games, Mohit made up for the lost chances and jumped to third spot in the leading wicket takers’ tally with 24 dismissals from 13 matches.
“Match wasn’t over after SKY was out but there was relief and we were at comfort. The game wasn’t over till the last ball, we’ve learned in the past that it’s not over till then,” added Mohit, who last played for India eight years ago.