Mitchell Marsh’s maiden IPL century spoils Gujarat Titans top-two hopes | Cricket News

Mitchell Marsha and Nicholas Pooran made sure that GT would not be able to chase down the 235 total set by LSG (Image via PTI)

Lucknow Super Giants secured a consolation 33-run victory over Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Thursday, powered by Mitchell Marsh’s maiden IPL century of 117 runs off 64 balls. The win prevented GT from sealing a top-two spot in the league table, as LSG posted 235 for 2 in their 20 overs while restricting GT to 202 for 9.Mitchell Marsh’s innings featured 10 fours and eight sixes, standing as the backbone of LSG’s impressive total. He partnered with Aiden Markram for a 91-run opening stand and later added 121 runs with Nicholas Pooran in just 8.3 overs.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Nicholas Pooran continued his strong form, scoring his fifth half-century of the season in 23 balls, finishing with an unbeaten 56 off 27 deliveries. Markram contributed 36 runs off 24 balls to the team’s cause. LSG’s batting performance included a record 17 sixes in an IPL match. Marsh, who started slowly, showed exceptional control in hitting both straight and square off the wicket using his reach.Will O’Rourke, who replaced Mayank Yadav in the LSG squad, proved to be standout bowler with 3 for 27.Gujarat Titans’ chase began promisingly with Sai Sudharsan scoring 21 off 16 balls and captain Shubman Gill making 35 off 20 balls. However, both openers failed to convert their starts into substantial innings, falling before the close of the 8th over. Jos Buttler contributed 33 runs off 18 balls before falling to a clever delivery from Akash Singh, who managed to bowl despite injuring and bleeding from his right hand.

Shahrukh Khan and Sherfane Rutherford provided hope for GT with an explosive 86-run partnership in just 6.4 overs. Shahrukh scored 57 off 29 balls while Rutherford made 38, but their efforts proved insufficient against the large target. LSG’s bowling attack faced some pressure as Akash Deep and Shahbaz Ahmed struggled to contain runs. The team’s ground fielding also showed room for improvement.Gujarat Titans, despite already qualifying for the playoffs, missed an opportunity to secure 20 points and strengthen their position in the top two. They will now need to win their final match to maintain their chances of a top-two finish.

Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore remain in contention for the top position, making the final league matches crucial for playoff positioning.Marsh’s century came off 56 balls, with particularly aggressive batting against R Sai Kishore, who had previously been economical in the tournament. His batting display included consecutive sixes off Purple Cap holder Prasidh Krishna, demonstrating his dominance over the GT bowling attack.Who’s that IPL player?The match highlighted LSG’s batting strength when their top order performs, with Marsh, Markram, and Pooran showcasing their ability to dominate opposition bowling.