Capitol Hill
IPL 2023: It is just that I am enjoying a lot more, says Vijay Shankar after unbeaten 24-ball blitz
Shankar showed his impressive six-hitting range on the IPL stage by smashing Lockie Ferguson and Shardul Thakur for five sixes and two fours in the 19th and 20 overs, yielding 45 runs overall, to end up unbeaten on a 24-ball 63, as Gujarat ended up with 204/4 in their 20 overs.
IPL 2023: Vijay Shankar, Sai Sudharsan smash fifties, take Gujarat to 204/4 against KKR
After making an unbeaten 62 against Delhi Capitals in a chase of 163, Sudharsan was pristine in his 53 off 38 balls. But it was Shankar's unbeaten 24-ball onslaught in the last two overs, which produced 45 runs, that got Gujarat past 200. He hit two fours and as many sixes off Lockie Ferguson, before smashing a hat-trick of sixes off Shardul Thakur in the final over.
IPL 2023: Gujarat Titans' stand-in captain Rashid Khan win toss, elect to bat first against KKR
Both teams come into Sunday's game on the back of victories. While Gujarat beat Delhi Capitals by six wickets, Kolkata thrashed Royal Challengers Bangalore by 81 runs. After winning the toss, Rashid said Hardik is a little unwell and the team didn't want to risk him for the match.
'Overwhelming response', says Disney Star; IPL TV viewership returns to pre-pandemic levels as viewer fatigue wears away
However, recent reports suggest that the IPL's TV ratings have declined in the past couple of years due to viewer fatigue. Star Sports recorded a TVR of 5.6 for the opening fixture in 2022, the lowest in the last six editions. As viewers returned to their TV screens for the sixth time in three years, they found other distractions when India returned to a more normal way of life after a nearly 21-month lockdown, leading to a decline in TV viewership.
IPL 2023: 62 not out against Delhi Capitals was one of my best knocks, says B. Sai Sudharsan
Gujarat Titans' left-handed batter B. Sai Sudharsan stepped up to anchor Gujarat's chase of 163, which was reduced to 54/3 at one point, with an impressive 62 not out off 48 balls and take his team to a six-wicket victory over the Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.
Sharp drop in TV viewership for IPL 2023 opener; digital viewership on rise; report
According to information received here, Star Sports, the official broadcaster of the tournament, recorded a TVR of 7.29 for the opening fixture, a sharp drop from the 2021 edition (8.25) and 2020 (10.36). The engagement numbers for the 1st game came in at a lowly 33 per cent, the second lowest in the past six seasons and the BARC numbers were also reflective of this drop with the curtain raiser recorded at 22 per cent as opposed to previous year's 23.1 per cent.
IPL 2023: Kohli, Ruturaj frontrunners to win Orange Cap; Chahal, Rashid top picks in Purple Cap race
The experts panel at Star Sports feels that Virat Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad - who are the frontrunners in the Orange Cap race - might actually end up winning it by the end of yet another exciting season. They also said that Rajasthan Royals star spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and Gujarat Titans' talisman Rashid Khan are primed to win the Purple Cap, awarded to the most successful bowler at the end of the tournament.
IPL 2023: Main players need to stand up and make it count for Delhi Capitals, says AB de Villiers
South Africa batting great AB de Villiers feels that the side hasn't been able to gel as a unit yet and added that the main players have to step up to put in match-winning performances. "It has been rocky start and not been easy for them. It is never easy when you start with an away game and you lose badly like they did.
IPL 2023: Sai Sudharsan constructed the innings perfectly, says Anil Kumble
Chasing a tricky 163 for victory against Delhi Capitals, the Hardik Pandya-led side won the contest with six wickets in hand and 11 balls to spare, thanks largely to Sudharsan's unbeaten 62 that came off 48 balls and included four boundaries and a couple of sixes. The 21-year-old put on 56 runs in the company of David Miller, who stayed unbeaten on a 16-ball 31.
IPL 2023: Sudharsan, Miller, Shankar power Gujarat to a six-wicket victory over Delhi
After Mohammed Shami and Rashid Khan picked three-wicket hauls each for Gujarat to keep Delhi to 162/8 in 20 overs on a pitch which had plenty of pace and bounce, Sudharsan and Shankar played some good solid cricket in their 53-run partnership for the fourth wicket after losing three wickets in power-play.
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