New Delhi, On the basis of brilliant innings of Mitchell Marsh (117), Nicholas Pooran (56 not out), Lucknow Supergiants defeated Gujarat Titans by 33 runs at their home ground Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday. Batting first, Lucknow scored 235 runs for the loss of just two wickets. In reply, Gujarat's team could score only 202 runs for the loss of nine wickets in 20 overs.

Gujarat's team has already made it to the playoffs. Now its aim is to finish in the top-2. This defeat can give a setback to its dream. On the other hand, this is a consolation win for Lucknow. It has already been eliminated from the playoff race.

This season, the key to Gujarat's success has been the trio of captain Shubman Gill, Sai Sudarshan and Jos Buttler. But none of the three could perform against Lucknow. Gill and Sudarshan definitely gave a solid start to the team, but for the target that the team had got, it was necessary that both of them play long. On the third ball of the fifth over, Will O'Rourke ended Sudarshan's innings. He got 21 runs off 16 balls. Avesh Khan dismissed Gill on the last ball of the eighth over. However, Abdul Samad's brilliant catch played a big role in this. The Gujarat captain scored 35 runs with the help of seven fours in 20 balls.

Butler was scoring runs fast. Then on the third ball of the 10th over, his stumps also got uprooted. This work was done by Akash Singh. Butler scored 33 runs with the help of three fours and two sixes in 18 balls.

Shahrukh-Rutherford fought

However, even after the dismissal of these three, the Gujarat team remained in the match and the reason for this was the stormy batting of Shahrukh Khan, Sherfane Rutherford. Both of them brought tension to Lucknow by making a partnership of 86 runs in 40 balls. On the first ball of the 17th over, Avesh Khan dismissed Rutherford. He scored 38 runs off 22 balls with the help of one four and three sixes. Shahrukh completed his 50 runs in the same over. On the last ball of this over, Avesh sent Rahul Tewatiya to the pavilion. He could score only two runs.

In the next over, Shahbaz dismissed Arshad Khan and took the sixth wicket of Gujarat. Shahrukh was also out on the fifth ball of the 19th over. Shahrukh faced 29 balls and scored 57 runs with the help of five fours and three sixes. After his departure, the team's defeat was certain. The last over was bowled by Ayush Badoni in which he took the wickets of Kagiso Rabada (2) and Sai Kishore (1).

Marsh's wonder

Gill won the toss and invited Lucknow to bat first. His decision proved wrong. Marsh and Aiden Markram gave the team a solid start and added 91 runs for the first wicket. On the fifth ball of the 10th over, Sai Kishore got Markram caught by Shahrukh Khan and gave Gujarat its first success. Markram could not complete his half-century. He scored 36 runs off 24 balls with the help of three fours and two sixes.

After this, Marsh and Pooran took Gujarat bowlers to task. Marsh completed his first IPL century and made a unique record with this. His brother Shaun had scored a century in 2008 while playing for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) and now Mitchell has scored. With this, the Marsh brothers are the first pair of brothers to score a century in the IPL. Marsh's innings ended on the second ball of the 19th over. Arshad Khan got him caught by Rutherford. In his innings, this right-handed batsman faced 64 balls and hit 10 fours and eight sixes.

Puran remained unbeaten. He faced 27 balls and hit four fours and five sixes. Captain Pant could score only 18 runs in six balls. Puran and Marsh shared a 121-run partnership for the second wicket. This is the biggest partnership for the second or lower order for Lucknow so far.