Debutants Gujarat Titans were crowned <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/ipl/2022/05/23/top-10-emerging-players-of-ipl-2022-in-pictures/" target="_blank">Indian Premier League</a> champions on Sunday after they beat Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets in the final in Ahmedabad. Opting to bat first, 2008 champions <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/rajasthan-royals/" target="_blank">Rajasthan</a> never got going and posted a below-par 130-9 with Jos Buttler, this IPL's leading scorer, topscoring for them with a rather subdued 39. Gujarat captain Hardik Pandya (3-17) led by example with the ball, dismissing counterpart Sanju Samson, opener 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. Opener Gill remained unbeaten on 45, sealing <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/ipl/2022/05/30/gujarat-titans-create-history-after-storming-to-ipl-title-in-debut-season/" target="_blank">Gujarat's victory</a> with a six and with 11 balls to spare. South African David Miller made a quickfire 32 not out for Gujarat in the low-scoring final in front of more than 100,000 fans.
