{ "id": "123503", "author": "26", "cnmid": null, "title": "Gill Force To Curran Flop: IPL 2023 Hits And Misses", "lang": "en", "series": "521", "cup_year": "2023", "article_type": "General", "excerpt": "The 16th edition of the Indian Premier League is set to conclude Monday with Chennai Super Kings chasing a record-equalling fifth title against defending champions Gujarat Titans.", "subtype": null, "editor1": "

The 16th edition of the Indian Premier League is set to conclude Monday with Chennai Super Kings chasing a record-equalling fifth title against defending champions Gujarat Titans.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n

The final was due to take place on Sunday but was postponed to the reserve day because of torrential rain and thunderstorms in Ahmedabad.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

AFP Sport looks at the highs and lows of the 2023 season in the world's richest cricket tournament.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

- Gill force -<\/p>\r\n\r\n

From being slammed for his slow approach in T20 cricket, batsman Shubman Gill has transformed himself across multiple formats and in this IPL was the highest scorer with 851 runs -- and counting because he is set to play in the final.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

The 23-year-old opener has smashed three centuries, and his match-winning 129 off 60 balls propelled Gujarat past Mumbai to reach the title decider.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

India great Kapil Dev tentatively put him in the same bracket as the likes of Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

"But I will like to give him another season before making big claims. He definitely has the talent but (I) won't like to make big comparisons right now," Dev said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

- 'Baby Malinga' -<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Sri Lanka's Matheesha Pathirana excelled during the tournament with 17 wickets for Chennai and his ability to bowl yorkers with a slinging action similar to his hero Lasith Malinga.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

"Baby Malinga" joined Chennai last year as an injury replacement for Adam Milne and played just two matches.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

But this season he was the go-to option in the death overs for Chennai captain M.S. Dhoni, who called the 20-year-old "special".<\/p>\r\n\r\n

- Chase-master Rinku -<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Kolkata Knight Riders batsman Rinku Singh became an overnight sensation with his match-winning five sixes off the final five balls in a scarcely believable chase against Gujarat.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

His unbeaten 21-ball 48 was no flash in the pan as the left-handed batsman registered four half-centuries and mastered the art of finishing games.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

But Kolkata failed to make the playoffs, despite Rinku's unbeaten 67 off 33 balls in their last match against Lucknow.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

His red-hot displays raised talk of an India call-up.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

- Curran flops -<\/p>\r\n\r\n

England's World Cup-winning all-rounder Sam Curran seemed weighed down by the $2.23 million shelled out by Punjab Kings to make him the most expensive buy in IPL history.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Barring a few sparks with bat and ball, the left-handed Curran disappointed with 276 runs and 10 wickets to be the season's standout flop.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

His underwhelming form did little to help Punjab, who finished eighth in the table and signalled another year without winning the IPL.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

"You bought Sam Curran for ($2.23 million), what has he done?" former India opener Virender Sehwag said scathingly.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

- Un-Shaw -<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Once likened to Tendulkar, Delhi Capitals opener Prithvi Shaw was arguably the biggest flop amongst the Indian players with 106 runs in eight matches.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Shaw, who had a promising start to his India career with a Test ton on debut, looked at sea against quality seam bowling in this edition and midway through lost his place in the XI.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Coach Ricky Ponting admitted the 23-year-old did not live up to expectations -- much like Delhi themselves, who began with five losses and ended ninth in the table.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

- Brook fails -<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Another exciting England player in batsman Harry Brook also failed to impress, despite hitting the first century of this season.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Brook, snapped up by 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad for $1.6 million, scored 90 runs from his 10 matches apart from his 100 not out against Kolkata.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Hyderabad dropped the 24-year-old for three matches but the rest of the cast did little to save them from taking the wooden spoon in the 10-team table.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Also Read: <\/strong> Live Scorecard<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n

Brook was accused of being arrogant after he talked of "shutting up" Indian trolls on social media following his hundred. They had the last laugh.<\/p>\r\n", "image": "https:\/\/img.cricketnmore.com\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Shubman-Gill1.jpg", "alt_img": "IPL 2023 Hits And Misses", "alt_title": "Shubman Gill", "image1": null, "video": null, "seo_title": "Gill Force To Curran Flop: IPL 2023 Hits And Misses On Cricketnmore", "seo_desc": "The 16th edition of the Indian Premier League is set to conclude Monday with Chennai Super Kings chasing a record-equalling fifth title against defending champions Gujarat Titans.", "seo_keywords": "Shubman Gill, IPL 2023", "tag": null, "tagging": "Shubman Gill,IPL 2023,", "status": "1", "img_rpt": "0", "google": "1", "standout": "0", "edapps": "0", "pulse": "0", "no_index": "0", "feed": "0", "fixture": null, "slug": "gill-force-to-curran-flop-ipl-2023-hits-and-misses", "user_id": "0", "read_count": "1", "ians_date": null, "ians_time": null, "server_time": null, "trash": "0", "view_count": "2897", "page_break": "0", "instant_articles": "1", "auto_link": "1", "created": "2023-05-29 14:53:27", "updated": "2023-05-29 19:00:08", "img_from": "Image Source: Google", "img_source": null, "schedule_publish": null, "news_keywords": "IPL 2023, Shubman Gill, Sam Curran", "livescore_text": null, "livescore_link": null, "btn_text": null, "resend_feed": "0", "google_feed": "0", "read_more": "0", "posted_by": "1", "jio_date": "2023-05-29 14:53:27", "scheduled": "0", "news_now": "1", "breaking_news": "1", "google_date": null, "featured": "0", "pred_match_id": "Select", "article_content_type": null, "england_cricket": "0", "link": "https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/cricket-news\/gill-force-to-curran-flop-ipl-2023-hits-and-misses-123503" }