New Delhi: Gujarat Titans’ captain Shubman Gill (PTI Photo/Salman Ali)

Gujarat Titans clinched a dramatic one-run victory over Delhi Capitals in a match that went down to the final delivery, thanks to a nerve-jangling last over and a crucial moment of hesitation from David Miller. Chasing 211, Delhi Capitals fell agonizingly short at 209 for eight after Miller refused a single off Prasidh Krishna’s penultimate delivery, a move that ultimately handed the game to GT. The experienced Jos Buttler, who had taken off one glove, sent down a perfect direct hit, catching Kuldeep Yadav short of the crease. Shubman Gill, who had anchored Gujarat’s innings with a 70-ball half-century alongside Jos Buttler’s explosive 52 and Washington Sundar’s 55 off 32, felt the match hung in the balance right until the last ball. “Definitely, all the three games that we’ve played, have gone until the last over. But very pleased to get over the line in this one,” Gill said, reflecting on the tension-filled finish. On Miller’s refusal of the single, Gill admitted it swung momentum in GT’s favour. “When Miller didn’t take the run off the fifth ball, we have a chance to win,” he said. Discussing the choice of the final delivery, Gill praised Prasidh Krishna’s slower ball selection: “No, we were just discussing whether to go for the yorker or to go for the slower one. But given how the wicket is playing, a good slower one would be difficult to hit for a boundary.” Gill also highlighted the importance of fielding and the total posted. “Apart from the overthrows and boundary, every effort counts, especially in a game like this where you win by one run,” he said. “210 on this wicket was 10-15 runs above par. Even in the death overs, hitting the big boundaries wasn’t easy. We thought if we bowl well, we should be able to win this one.” For Gill, the victory was a mix of relief and satisfaction. “Yes, definitely. Now I just need to sleep and see how I wake up tomorrow,” he added. Gujarat Titans’ composure under pressure and Gill’s calm leadership proved decisive in a thriller that will be remembered for Miller’s dramatic miss and the Titans’ nerve to hold on.

India’s R Vaishali kept herself firmly in contention for the title after defeating compatriot Divya Deshmukh in Round 9 of the Women’s Candidates Chess Tournament on Wednesday, drawing level with China’s Jiner Zhu at the top of the standings.

Coming into the round after what had largely been a steady, unspectacular start, Vaishali once again showed her growing authority in the event. She was patient early on against Divya before gradually tightening her grip on the position, eventually converting her advantage to move to 5.5 points from eight games. The result ensured she shares the lead with Zhu with five rounds still to be played.

Vaishali has increasingly looked like a contender with each passing round, shifting gears after the opening phase and pushing for wins. Her victory over Divya not only strengthened her position but also ensured that Indian interest remains very much alive heading into the decisive stages of the tournament.

The race at the top, however, remains closely packed. Former leader Anna Muzychuk is just half a point behind after drawing with Zhongyi Tan. Despite the defeat, Divya stays within touching distance on 4.5 points, alongside Kateryna Lagno and Bibisara Assaubayeva, keeping the contest wide open.

Zhongyi Tan, a former world champion, continues to struggle for momentum and remains the only player yet to hit top form in the field.

In the open section, Anish Giri dealt a significant blow to the chances of pre-tournament favourite Fabiano Caruana, scoring a fine win to move to 5.5 points. Giri’s resurgence has added intrigue to the standings, although he still trails leader Javokhir Sindarov.

Sindarov continued to set the pace, holding Matthias Bluebaum to a hard-fought draw to take his tally to 7 points from nine rounds. The Uzbek Grandmaster remains in control and, with three games still to come with the white pieces, has put himself in a strong position in the race for the title.

Elsewhere, R Praggnanandhaa missed a chance to press home an advantage against Wei Yi. The Indian had built a promising position in the middlegame but was unable to convert, leaving the contest still in progress.

Round 9 results:
Open: Praggnanandhaa (IND, 2) vs Wei Yi (CHN, 3.5) – ongoing; Anish Giri (NED, 5.5) beat Fabiano Caruana (USA, 4.5); Javokhir Sindarov (UZB, 7) drew with Matthias Bluebaum (GER, 4); Hikaru Nakamura (USA, 3) vs Andrey Esipenko (RUS, 2.5) – ongoing.

Women: R Vaishali (IND, 5.5) beat Divya Deshmukh (IND, 4.5); Jiner Zhu (CHN, 5.5) beat Kateryna Lagno (RUS, 4.5); Aleksandra Goryachkina (RUS, 4) drew with Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ, 4); Anna Muzychuk (UKR, 5) drew with Zhongyi Tan (CHN, 3).

– Ends