Just when fans were enjoying high-scoring 200+ chases, cricket delivered a different kind of thrill a low-scoring, nail-biting match! Gujarat Titans kept their calm and won a last-over thriller in Ahmedabad, beating Punjab Kings by 4 wickets with just one ball left.
GT hold nerve in last-over thriller as PBKS slump continues despite staying top
It was sweet revenge for GT, as PBKS had earlier beaten them in a similar close match in Mullanpur this season. The pitch was not an easy wicket to bat on, with the fast bowlers bowling into the surface, making it too hot to handle for the batters. Both teams struggled to get going, but the Titans knew the target, and they played accordingly. Still, PBKS dragged the game till the very end, but Marcus Stoinis failed to defend 11 runs off the last over.
Gill had no doubts whatsoever when he won the toss and opted to bowl first. Mohammed Siraj (2/28), Kagiso Rabada (2/22) and Jason Holder (4/24) set the tone for the 2022 champions by bowling some relentless lines and lengths. PBKS’s fiery top order was sent packing early. Shreyas Iyer struggled big time. The middle order was exposed early after the Kings were reduced to 47/5 in the 9th over.
Suryansh Shedge (57 off 29) and Stoinis (40 off 31) rebuilt the sinking ship, with the two batters stepping on the gas pedal after a message came from Iyer around the 13th over mark. The duo added 79 for the 6th wicket, with the former stepping up and scoring his first half-century in the shortest format.
Marco Jansen (20 off 11) played a cameo towards the end, before Rashid Khan, bowling the last over, picked up his wicket and restricted the Kings to 163/9 in 20 overs. GT, too, had a poor start, with skipper Gill playing a loose shot and gifting his wicket to Arshdeep Singh in the second over. Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler added a 50-plus stand to keep the hosts ahead in the contest.
Vyshak Vijaykumar halted Buttler’s good little stay in the crease, but Sudharsan anchored the innings beautifully with a half-century, amassing 57 off 41 balls. He added two little stands with Nishant Sindhu and Washington Sundar, but the Kings kept picking up wickets whenever it looked as if GT were ahead.
Rahul Tewatia and Jason Holder failed, but Sundar (40* off 23) held an end up, finding timely boundaries and eventually sealed the game with a well-executed scoop on the penultimate ball of the game. Arshad Khan didn’t shine with the ball, but hit 8 off 5 balls, including that clutch boundary on the first legal ball of the last over.
Bartlett was expensive early but improved later. Chahal bowled just one over and gave 13 runs due to the conditions. PBKS have now lost two matches in a row but still remain at the top. Gujarat Titans have 12 points from 10 matches and are in fifth place.