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The Gujarat Titans (GT) and the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) are set to lock horns at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in match number 62 of the ongoing IPL 2023 on Monday, May 15.
The defending champions are currently at the top of the points table. They have won eight of their 12 matches so far and have a net run rate of 0.761.
While SRH still have an outside chance of making it to the all-important playoffs, they are in need of a miraculous turnaround. With four wins from 11 outings, the Hyderabad-based side languish in the penultimate spot in the standings.
Gujarat suffered a 27-run loss to the Mumbai Indians (MI) in their most recent appearance, failing to chase down a mammoth 219-run target. Hyderabad, on the other hand, lost to the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by seven wickets in their previous fixture.
With two valuable points at stake at this crucial juncture, the upcoming encounter featuring GT and SRH promises to be a closely fought battle. Let's take a look at three player battles to watch out for in the match.
#1 Mohammed Shami vs Rahul Tripathi
GT fast bowler Mohammed Shami has emerged as Hardik Pandya's go-to man in the first six overs. The veteran seamer has provided his team with fantastic starts with his inspired spells on several occasions.
He has picked up 19 wickets in 12 matches so far in IPL 2023. Shami has bagged 12 scalps in the powerplay, the most by any bowler this season. He could give SRH's top-order batters a torrid time if he gets going.
Hyderabad will want Rahul Tripathi, who has been an intent merchant for them, to fire with the bat in the must-win contest. However, the right-handed batter has an ordinary record against Shami.
The two have squared off eight times so far in the league's history. Tripathi has been out to Shami three times and has a strike rate of 117.24 against the speedster.
#2 Shubman Gill vs Mayank Markande
GT opener Shubman Gill has showcased tremendous batting form this season. The talented youngster has mustered 475 runs from 12 games, including four half-centuries.
It will be crucial for Hyderabad to send the in-form batter back early in the contest, otherwise, he could take the game away from them. SRH skipper Aiden Markram could look towards Mayank Markande, given that he is the team's leading wicket-taker in IPL 2023.
The crafty spinner has taken 12 wickets in nine games at an economy rate of 7.80. Gill has fallen to the spinner five times in nine innings, and Markande will back himself to give the start batter a tough challenge.
#3 David Miller vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Both David Miller and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are seasoned campaigners when it comes to T20 cricket. The GT batter has chipped in with a few valuable knocks for GT this season, amassing 242 runs in 10 innings.
He has been dismissed just five times in IPL 2023 and has a fantastic average of 48.40. While SRH have Kumar, who has proven his mettle as a death bowler, he has an underwhelming record against Miller.
The southpaw has scored 85 runs from 46 balls against the right-arm pacer in T20 cricket at a strike rate of 184.78. Kumar has managed to dismiss the batter just once.
The battle between the two players could have a significant impact on the game, given that their respective teams heavily rely on them to deliver in the death overs.
