Hardik Pandya leads Gujarat Titans to IPL triumph in their first season

Gujarat Titans won the Indian Premier League at their first attempt on Sunday with all-rounder Hardik Pandya leading his team to an emphatic seven-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals in the final.

Pandya grabbed three for17 with impeccable medium-fast bowling to restrict Rajasthan to 130 for nine after Sanju Samson won the toss and chose to bat. Pandya then made a crucial 34 off 30 balls as Gujarat reached 133 for three in 18.1 overs in front of a raucous crowd of more than 100,000 at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Opening batter Shubman Gill top-scored with an unbeaten 45 and sealed the memorable win with a six off Obed McCoy over deep square leg. “This title is going to be a special one because we talked about creating a legacy and the coming generations will talk about it,” said Pandya, who won four IPL titles with Mumbai Indians but switched franchises this year and was appointed Gujarat captain.

“This is the right example for every team in the world that if you can play as a team, you can do wonders.”

Pandya’s superb bowling in the middle overs was well supported by Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan and derailed Rajasthan’s bid for a second IPL title since winning the inaugural edition in 2008.

Jos Buttler made only 39 off 35 balls but still finished as the tournament’s top scorer with 863 runs, and Samson scored 14. Both batters fell to Pandya. Samson tried to accelerate the scoring rate and was caught at third man off Pandya’s second ball.

Buttler, who scored four centuries and four half centuries this season, got a faint edge as he tried to guide a short ball to third man. The Gujarat skipper then made sure Rajasthan were without power-hitters in the death overs.

Pandya had Shimron Hetmyer (11) caught off his