Nehal Wadhera’s early dismissal deepens Mumbai Indians’ woes in IPL 2023 virtual semi-finals

Mohammed Shami continues dominance as Purple Cap holder in IPL 2023.

Mohammed Shami, the current leading wicket-taker in IPL 2023, showcased his exceptional skills once again by claiming another crucial wicket, further solidifying his position as the purple cap holder. With Mumbai Indians facing a daunting target set by Gujarat Titans after Shubman Gill’s magnificent century in the first innings, losing an early wicket of opener Nehal Wadhera only added to their troubles in this virtual semi-final clash.

Nehal Wadhera, who was not a regular opener but had to step up due to the injury of Ishan Kishan, fell victim to Shami’s brilliance. The delivery, clocking at 139.6kph, was a well-directed seam-up ball on a length, angled across the left-hander. Wadhera attempted to pull it away but ended up edging it to the wicketkeeper. It wasn’t a delivery that warranted a shot like that, and the outside edge comfortably nestled into Wriddhiman Saha’s gloves. Wadhera departed after scoring a quickfire 4 runs off just 3 balls, including a boundary. Shami’s early breakthrough added to the mounting pressure on Mumbai Indians in their pursuit of victory.

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In the first innings, it was Shubman Gill who stole the show with a remarkable knock, propelling Gujarat Titans to an imposing total of 233 runs. Mumbai Indians, led by Rohit Sharma, chose to field first, hoping to exploit the early pitch conditions. However, GT’s opening batsmen formed a solid fifty partnership, cautiously assessing the situation in the initial overs.

During the powerplay, there was a significant moment when Gill, on 30 runs, played an aggressive aerial drive off Chris Jordan, only to be dropped by Tim David. This proved to be a costly miss for Mumbai Indians. Gill, after reaching his half-century, shifted gears and unleashed a devastating assault on the MI bowlers. They had no answer to his onslaught as Gill went on to register his third century in just four matches. The young opener tore apart the MI bowling attack, with Akash Madhwal, who had been the Player of the Match in his previous outing, also bearing the brunt of Gill’s aggression. Although Madhwal eventually dismissed the centurion, he had conceded more than 50 runs in the process.

Mumbai Indians managed to tighten their grip by bowling a couple of quiet overs, but Jordan’s final over turned out to be costly, leaking 19 runs and leaving him with figures of 0/56 – yet another expensive spell.

As the purple cap holder, Mohammed Shami’s consistent performances have demonstrated his dominance in the IPL 2023. His ability to strike early and provide breakthroughs has made him a vital asset for Gujarat Titans. With each match, Shami continues to prove his worth and reaffirm his position as the leading wicket-taker in the tournament.