Jos Buttler and Shubman Gill hit half-centuries to power the Gujarat Titans to a 38-run victory over the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL on Friday.

Gujarat posted 224-6, on the back of Gill’s 38-ball 76, after being invited to bat first at the world’s biggest stadium in Ahmedabad.

Their bowlers then combined to restrict Hyderabad to 186-6, despite a valiant 74 from Abhishek Sharma.

With the big victory, Gujarat moved up to second on the points table.

Hyderabad remain in the running to qualify for the IPL playoffs, but their chances look slim.

Gill said everyone on the team played a role in the victory.

“The way our top order plays, we know how to keep the scoreboard ticking,” the Gujarat skipper said.

Gujarat openers Gill and Sai Sudharsan started the first innings with fireworks, forging a 87-run partnership before Sudharsan, who blasted 48 runs off 23 balls, departed in the seventh over.

Gill kept up the attack, with the help of Jos Buttler, and smacked a 38-ball 78 before being run out in the 13th over.

Gujarat’s run rate dipped after the captain departed but Buttler refired the team’s momentum to hit 64 runs off 37 balls before falling in the 19th over.

Left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat struck thrice in the last over, but not before Washington Sundar (21), Rahul Tewatia (six) and Shahrukh Khan (six not out) pitched in to set Hyderabad a chase of 225.

In reply, Sunrisers openers Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head came out swinging, hitting a combined 45 runs in the first five overs.

Head (20) departed in the sixth over after a spectacular catch by Rashid Khan, leaving the team at 49-1.

Hyderabad’s momentum started to stall, with Kishan (13) struggling to make a mark.

Abhishek picked up the slack from the 11th over, smacking a fiery 41-ball 74 before falling in the 15th over.

While the middle order mostly failed to fire, captain Pat Cummins hit an unbeaten 19 and Nitish Kumar Reddy 21 to offer some hope before ultimately failing to hit the required target.

Cummins admitted his team were not at their best.

“In the end it was a bridge too far … We left a bit too much for the batters. We have to cling onto some hope,” the Hyderabad skipper said.

© Agence France-Presse

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