The table-toppers Gujarat Titans won the Indian Premier League at its first attempt on Sunday with allrounder Hardik Pandya leading his team to an emphatic seven-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals in the final.
Pandya grabbed 3-17 to restrict Rajasthan to 130-9 after Sanju Samson won the toss and chose to bat.
Gujarat reached 133-3 in 18.1 overs in front of a raucous crowd of more than 100,000 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, thanks to Pandya's crucial 34 off 30 balls.
Shubman Gill, the opening batter, led the way with an unbeaten 45 and sealed the victory with a six off Obed McCoy over deep square leg.
Rajasthan's bid for a second IPL title since winning the inaugural edition in 2008 was derailed by Pandya's superb bowling in the middle overs.
Before falling to Pandya, Jos Buttler scored 39 off 35 balls to finish the tournament as the top run scorer with 863 runs, and Samson scored 14.
The Gujarat skipper then made sure Rajasthan was without power-hitters in the death overs when he had Shimron Hetmyer (11) caught off his own bowling off his last ball of a terrific four-over spell.
For Rajasthan, Trent Boult (1-14) and Yuzvendra Chahal (1-20), the season's top wicket-taker, bowled well, but Pandya navigated the middle overs with Gill, putting on a 63-run stand for the third wicket.
Chahal finished the tournament with 27 wickets after Pandya was caught in the slips in the 14th over.
Gujarat were comfortably able to reach the winning target thanks to David Miller (32 not out) and Gill.
Irfan Pathan, a former India player, praised Rajasthan for their performance in the IPL 2022.
“For Rajasthan Royals you just couldn’t finish the line but you ran the Marathon of this ipl at the optimum speed. You should be proud of your run,” he wrote.