Two ten wickets defeats for Gujarat Lions – Amazing Coincidences – A Special article
Gujarat lost its first match of IPL 2017 to Kolkata by ten wickets at Rajkot on 07.04.17 to provide the second such loss for Gujarat in IPL. The first such occasion was against Sunrisers at Rajkot on 21.04.16. A close study of these two losses reveal the following amazing coincidences.
Both the games were played at the same venue – Rajkot. Both the games had the same number of ball remaining – 31 and both the games were won after playing 14.5 overs by the team batting second.
| No | Winner | Margin | BR | Target | Overs | Opposition | Ground | Date |
| 1 | Sunrisers | 10wkts | 31 | 136 | 14.5 | Gujarat | Rajkot | 21.04.16 |
| 2 | Kolkata | 10wkts | 31 | 183 | 14.5 | Gujarat | Rajkot | 07.04.17 |
In both the games Gujarat Skipper SK Raina scored a fifty and his team ended up as losers. In the game against Sunrisers, SK Raina had scored 75, while against Kolkata he made 68 not out.
In both the games, openers scored fifties – unbeaten fifties. The following table lists the unbeaten fifties scored by the openers. One of the winning team’s opener was the skipper of the team –DA Warner had led Sunrisers, while G Gambhir led Kolkata
| No | Pos | Batsman | Runs | Team | Opposition | Venue | Date |
| 1 | 01 | Warner | 74* | Sunrisers | Gujarat | Rajkot | 21.04.16 |
| 02 | Dhawan | 53* | Sunrisers | Gujarat | Rajkot | 21.04.16 | |
| 2 | 01 | Gambhir | 76* | Kolkata | Gujarat | Rajkot | 07.04.17 |
| 02 | CA Lynn | 93* | Kolkata | Gujarat | Rajkot | 07.04.17 |
The first wicket partnerships posted by these two teams – Sunrisers and Kolkata – while winning the game without losing a wicket against Gujarat represent the respective team’s highest partnership not only for any wicket in IPL but also for the first wicket
| No | Partners | Runs | Wkt | Team | Opposition | Venue | Date |
| 1 | Warner,Dhawan | 137* | 1st | Sunrisers | Gujarat | Rajkot | 21.04.16 |
| 2 | Gambhir, Lynn | 184* | 1st | Kolkata | Gujarat | Rajkot | 07.04.17 |