Mitchell Marsh Highlights IPL's Competitive Edge After Lucknow's Victory Over Gujarat
Marsh Praises IPL's Unpredictability
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], May 23: Mitchell Marsh, a key player for Lucknow Super Giants, asserts that the Indian Premier League (IPL) stands out as the "best competition in the world" due to its highly competitive nature, where any team can triumph on any given day.
Lucknow's recent match against Gujarat Titans saw them thwart Gujarat's ambitions of securing the top position by chasing down a formidable target of 236 runs, ultimately winning by 33 runs. Marsh played a pivotal role in this victory, following his record-breaking century in the first innings, which significantly contributed to Gujarat's defeat at their home ground in Ahmedabad.
With Marsh's explosive performance, complemented by Nicholas Pooran's unbeaten 56, the Super Giants amassed an impressive total of 235/2. Although Gujarat started strong, they faltered after losing their key players, including Sai Sudharsan, captain Shubman Gill, and Jos Buttler.
Despite this win, Lucknow climbed to the sixth position, but the two points were inconsequential as the playoff spots were already secured. Marsh reflected on the team's struggles in tight matches throughout the season, which led to their elimination from playoff contention.
“It’s been very disappointing. We lost close games, and we are out of the race. The IPL is a beast of a competition. Any team can beat any team in this competition on a given day; that’s why this is the best competition in the world,” Marsh stated during the post-match presentation, where he was named Player of the Match.
With a remarkable score of 117 off 64 balls, Marsh became the first overseas player to hit a century in the 18th season of this lucrative league. The seasoned Australian, who waited over a decade for his first IPL century, shared his feelings about achieving this milestone.
“I have had a few years off in between as well. I first played for the Deccan Chargers in 2010. It’s been a while. Getting an opportunity to open the batting has been amazing. The partnership with Aiden on and off the field has been fantastic. I came to the IPL pretty fresh. They (GT) bowled really well in the powerplay. If you are 12 off 12 in the powerplay, it’s panic stations, but once we got a few good partnerships, it made things easier for us,” he added.
Lucknow's triumph has opened the door for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Punjab Kings, and Mumbai Indians to potentially overtake Gujarat from the top spot if they win their remaining group-stage matches.