Winning IPL 2022 as big as U-19 World Cup triumph: Shubman Gill after Gujarat Titans win title in debut season

IPL 2022 Final, GT vs RR: Shubman Gill was thrilled after taking Gujarat Titans over the line in the final against Rajasthan Royals. The Hardik Pandya-led side won the Indian Premier League title in their debut season.

Gujarat Titans opener Shubman Gill was elated after helping his side seal their maiden title in their debut season and compared winning IPL 2022 to the under-19 World Cup triumph. Debutants Gujarat Titans were crowned the Indian Premier League (IPL) champions on Sunday after they beat Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets in the final in Ahmedabad.

Gill was drafted by GT ahead of the IPL 2022 auction after being released by the Kolkata Knight Riders. He did not have an impressive start to the season but overshadowed it by playing some beautiful knocks for the side and helping them win the title.

Gill top-scored with an unbeaten 45 and sealed the memorable win with a six-off Obed McCoy over the deep square leg as Gujarat reached 133/3 in 18.1 overs in front of a raucous crowd of more than 100,000 at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

"It means a lot. After winning the under-19 World Cup, winning the IPL is just as big. It is my fourth year. I wanted to be there till the end and that was the talk with the coaches. Glad I took them over the line. Our bowlers bowled really well to restrict them to 130. We wanted to keep them under 150 but fortunately, it was much less," Gill told broadcasters after Gujarat won IPL 2022.

Gujarat captain Hardik Pandya (3/17) led by example with the ball, dismissing counterpart Sanju Samson, opener Jos Buttler and Rajasthan's middle-order lynchpin Shimron Hetmyer. Pandya shone with the bat too, scoring 34 and forging a 63-run stand with Shubman Gill to help Gujarat overcome a slow start to their chase. Gill opened the innings for GT and stayed there till the end.

GT became the second team after Rajasthan Royals to win the IPL trophy in their debut season.