Shubman Gill. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL)

Indian batting sensation Shubman Gill’s love affair with Ahmedabad continued after the young opener compiled yet another swashbuckling century, his third, in the ongoing IPL 2023 season. Gill registered a blistering century to put his side in the ascendancy against five-time champions Mumbai Indian in Qualifier 2 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. 

Coming into the game on the back of a disappointing result against Chennai Super Kings in Qualifier 1, Shubman Gill was watchful against the Mumbai Indians’ pacers in the powerplay. He was handed a lifeline in the final over of the powerplay after Tim David put down a difficult chance to get rid of the young dasher.

It proved to be a costly drop by the Aussie as Gill started to pile the pressure on the bowlers after the departure of his opening partner Wridhhiman Saha. It was the over against veteran leggie and Mumbai’s best bowler this season, Piyush Chawla, that saw Gill take his batting to another level, registering a brisk half-century. 

While Cameron Green managed to get a hand to a powerfully hit shot from Gill on his followthrough, last match’s hero Akash Madhwal faced the full wrath of the Gujarat opener in the following over. The 29-year-old pacer was dispatched for three sixes in the 12th over, each better than the previous.  

Shubman Gill joins the giants of the game after record-breaking innings

Gill wasn’t quite done with his exhibition, as he pumped Chawla for 19 runs in the very next over. While he edged closer towards his third century of the season, the youngster joined Virat Kohli and Jos Buttler to become only the third batter to breach the 800-run mark in an IPL season. 

The 23-year-old batter from Punjab punched the air in delight, followed by his trademark bowing celebration, after registering his third century in his last four matches in just 49 deliveries. He celebrated the milestone by smashing Green for two sixes and a boundary on consecutive deliveries in the same over.

A full house crowd in Ahmedabad rose to applaud the classy batter after he departed the arena following a breathtaking 129 off just 60 deliveries, the highest score by a batter in IPL playoffs.