The Gujarat Titans completed a fairy-tale opening season in the IPL with a victory in the final against Rajasthan Royals. They prevailed by seven wickets in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
One of their star players in the final was captain Hardik Pandya. He picked up three wickets for just 17 runs, while he hit 34 runs off 30 deliveries in his side’s response to the Royals’ total of 130.
Pandya was one of the marquee signings Gujarat made in the IPL Auction earlier this year. They snapped him up to lead the team in their first season. Given the experience he had with the Mumbai Indians between 2015 and 2021 in the IPL, they felt he was the ideal player to captain the side.
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The Indian international not only showed his class with the bat and ball, but the way he led the franchise suggests he could be a future captain of the national team.
David Miller supported Pandya with solid campaigns at the crease. He scored 481 runs across the season. Mohammed Shami starred with the ball, picking up 20 wickets from just 12 games. Those players ensured their side finished top of the standings at the end of the regular season.
Popularity Likely to Skyrocket Next Year
Success in their opening year is likely to see Gujarat’s popularity skyrocket next season. Many cricket fans around the world will have been impressed with the style of cricket the Titans played, as it was aggressive and showed a lot of attacking intent.
Their victory in 2022 will also provide a big boost to the region of Gujarat. They are now on the map as being home to one of the most successful cricket teams in world cricket. It could help tourism in the region in the near future.
The IPL took the decision to expand the league at the start of the 2022 season and that move has been justified. Both newcomers had a great campaign and proved competitive in the 10-team league.
Gujarat Likely to Be Among Favorites in Betting in 2023
Next year will be the chance for Gujarat to follow the Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians as teams who have successfully defended their IPL crown since the league was inaugurated in 2008.
The Titans are likely to be among the favorites in the betting for the trophy in 2023. If they can keep their big players together in their roster, they will justify their positive in the outright market.
Bookmakers around the world now appreciate how popular the IPL has come so look to offer a wide range of markets in their online betting on the competition. The Titans are likely to feature in a number of these, with those looking to back the champions being able to benefit from bonuses and promotions with leading sites like bet365.
Once the roster is set for 2023, bookmakers will offer betting on the top Titans scorer and wicket-taker next season. Pandya and Shami topped those standings in their title-winning campaign.
The 2023 IPL is set to take place between the 25th March and 28th May.
