Wade's Gujarat into IPL final after Miller blitz

Matthew Wade's Gujarat Titans team have reached the final of the Indian Premier League in their debut season thanks to David Miller's blistering half-century.

Needing 16 off the final over from Prasidh Krishna, Miller smashed three sixes in a row to secure a seven-wicket victory against Rajasthan Royals in Tuesday's qualifier in Kolkata.

That booked Titans a place in Sunday's final on their home ground in Ahmedabad, the 132,000-seat Narendra Modi Stadium.

South African Miller's unbeaten 68 off 38 balls included five sixes in total, while Wade, coming off a lean spell, made a vital 35 at No.3 with six boundaries.

Image Id: 303A056ED7AC434D9E5DB4D21161E402 Image Caption: Wade hit six boundaries in his 30-ball 35 // Sportzpics-BCCI

Inaugural champions Rajasthan can still make the final by beating the winners of Wednesday's eliminator between Lucknow Super Giants featuring Marcus Stoinis and the Royal Challengers Bangalore of Glenn Maxwell and Josh Hazlewood.

Rajasthan posted a strong 6-188 after being put into bat at Eden Gardens.

Jos Buttler, the tournament's leading scorer, had gone five innings without a fifty but the Englishman bounced back with a breezy 89 bringing his tournament tally to 718 runs in 15 games.

Buttler initially scored at a run-a-ball rate while skipper Sanju Samson smashed 47 off 26 balls at the other end.

After Samson was out Buttler, on 43, escaped when Gujarat captain Hardik Pandya slipped at long off while about to take a regulation catch.

Buttler then took 46 off his subsequent 17 balls before being run out in the final over.

Image Id: 03925C40BBE548798D655C58AA1A16BD Image Caption: Jos Buttler is the IPL's top run scorer with 718 runs in 15 games // Sportzpics-BCCI

Gujarat lost opener Wriddhiman Saha in the first over from Kiwi Trent Boult but Shubman Gill made 35 off 21 before being run out in a mix-up with Wade.

Gill had took off for a second run, his vision of the ball perhaps blocked by the bowler, and was sent back by Wade.

Wade added another five runs before he fell, caught by Buttler off the bowling of West Indian Obed McCoy.

But Pandya, who made an unbeaten 40, and Miller saw Gujarat home with an unbroken century stand.

"We wanted us to finish the game, that was the conversation in the middle," Pandya said after the win.

"When we started the tournament, I obviously wanted to win the tournament, it's a dream."

Rajasthan captain Samson said batting got easy in the second innings.

"We'll come back stronger," Samson said.

The 2022 Indian Premier League will be broadcast live in Australia on Fox Sports and live streamed on Kayo

Australians in IPL 2022

Delhi Capitals: Mitchell Marsh, David Warner

Gujarat Titans: Matthew Wade

Kolkata Knight Riders: Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch

Lucknow Super Giants: Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye

Mumbai Indians: Tim David, Daniel Sams, Riley Meredith

Punjab Kings: Nathan Ellis

Rajasthan Royals: Nathan Coulter-Nile

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Glenn Maxwell, Josh Hazlewood, Jason Behrendorff

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Sean Abbott