Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper Hardik Pandya believes basic errors and a few “soft balls” cost GT the Qualifier 1 match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023.
CSK cruised into the final of IPL 2023 as they beat GT by 15 runs in Qualifier 1 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. After opting to bowl first, Gujarat restricted Super Kings to 172/7. Ruturaj Gaikwad starred with the bat as he hit a flamboyant 60(44) to lay the platform. Ambati Rayudu (17 off 9) and Ravindra Jadeja (22 off 16) then played brisk knocks to provide a crucial late flourish and take CSK to a competitive 172/7. Titans struggled throughout the chase and were eventually bundled out for 157.
“I think we were quite spot on [with the ball], but we made basic errors. And I think that cost us the game. After the first innings, the kind of wicket and at the same point of time the kind of bowlers we had, I felt we exactly went 15 runs above the score where we should have stopped them,” Hardik said in a post-match presentation.
“A lot of things we did right. I think it’s just that we bowled a couple of soft balls in between.