Maharashtra and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) top-order batter Ruturaj Gaikwad completed 3,000 runs in T20 cricket on Saturday.
The 26-year-old accomplished this landmark against Mumbai Indians (MI) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match at Wankhede Stadium. In the match, Gaikwad played a supporting knock of 40* off 36 balls, consisting of two fours and a six. His knock helped his side clinch a win over MI. In 93 matches, Gaikwad has scored 3,025 runs at an average of 36.44 and a strike rate of 135.40. He has three centuries and 22 fifties in T20s, with the best score of 114. In his IPL career so far, Ruturaj has scored 1,396 runs at an average of 41.06 at a strike rate of 133.84. He has one century and 12 fifties in his IPL career, with the best score of 101*. He has represented CSK in the entirety of his IPL career so far. His best season came in 2021, when he clinched the 'Orange Cap' for most runs in a season. He scored 635 runs at an average of 45.35 and a strike rate of 136.26 in 16 matches. He scored one century and four fifties in the tournament, with the best score of 101*. In the ongoing IPL 2023, he has scored 189 runs in three matches at an average of 94.50 and a strike rate of 161.53. He has scored two fifties in the tournament so far, with a best of 92. Coming to the match, put to bat first by CSK, MI was off to a good start and was cruising at 61/1 in six overs after the powerplay. But spinners Ravindra Jadeja (3/20), Mitchell Santner (2/28) and pacer Tushar Deshpande (2/31) crushed MI's batting line-up. Except for Ishan Kishan (32) and Tim David (31), MI's exciting, star-studded line-up fell flat. Stars like Rohit (21), Cameron Green (12), Suryakumar Yadav (1) failed to fire. Hence, MI could only put up 157/8 in their 20 overs. In chase of 158, after falling of Devon Conway for a duck, Ajinkya Rahane lit up Wankhede Stadium with his 61 off 27 balls, with seven fours and three sixes. Supporting knocks from Ruturaj Gaikwad (40*), Shivam Dube (28) and Ambati Rayadu helped CSK chase the target in 18.1 overs. Jadeja was given the 'Player of the Match' award for his match-winning spell. (ANI)
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