Gujarat Titans bowler Sai Kishore celebrates after taking a wicket during the Indian Premier League 2024 match against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on April 21, 2024.
| Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy
In the battle of shaky top orders, Rahul Tewatia’s rearguard action took Gujarat Titans over the line by three wickets against Punjab Kings at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium here on Sunday.
Though a 143-run target was just what the under-fire Titans batting line-up would have wished for, poor shot selection helped Punjab claw back and give the Shubman Gill-led side a scare.
At the 16-over mark, the visitor still needed 38 runs to win with the last recognised batting pair, Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan, at the crease. The former survived a close lbw shout in the following over, attempting a perilous reverse-sweep off Harpreet Brar.
He backed himself and reprised the shot two deliveries later, fetching a boundary on this occasion. That opened the floodgates as 27 runs came off the next nine balls, with Kagiso Rabada’s over, 18th of the innings, going for 20 runs.
Though Harshal Patel gave the crowd some cheer with two wickets in the 19th over with a yorker and a full toss, it wasn’t enough for Punjab to avoid its fourth consecutive defeat at home.
Earlier, it was a familiar script for Punjab as Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma stood at the burning deck, with their team floundering at 86 for five.
Unfortunately for the host, there was no redemption this time as both batters were back in the dugout in a span of three overs, deceived in flight by left-arm spinner R. Sai Kishore.
With the innings tottering at 99 for seven, it fell upon Impact Player Harpreet Singh Bhatia and No. 9 Harpreet Brar to drag the host to 142.
After electing to bat, Punjab’s top order flattered to deceive as Sam Curran and Prabhsimran Singh put on the team’s second 50-run opening partnership of the season but were soon watching the proceedings from the sidelines.
Prabhsimran, Rilee Rossouw, Liam Livingstone and Jitesh Sharma succumbed to a rush of blood to the head, leaving their side in early trouble.
Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad and Rashid Khan picked seven wickets between them, transcending seamer-friendly conditions and bamboozling the host in its den.
Scoreboard
PUNJAB KINGS: Sam Curran lbw b Rashid 20 (19b, 2×4), Prabhsimran Singh c Saha b Mohit 35 (21b, 3×4, 3×6), Rilee Rossouw lbw b Noor 9 (7b, 2×4), Jitesh Sharma b Sai Kishore 13 (12b, 1×6), Liam Livingstone c Tewatia b Noor 6 (9b, 1×4), Shashank Singh c & b Sai Kishore 8 (12b), Ashutosh Sharma c Mohit b Sai Kishore 3 (8b), Harpreet Bhatia (Impact Player in place of Prabhsimran) run out 14 (19b), Harpreet Brar c Shahrukh b Sai Kishore 29 (12b, 4×4, 1×6), Harshal Patel c Shahrukh b Mohit 0 (1b), Kagiso Rabada (not out) 1 (1b); Extras (lb-1, nb-1, w-2): 4; Total (in 20 overs): 142.
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-52 (Prabhsimran, 5.3 overs), 2-63 (Rossouw, 6.6), 3-67 (Curran, 7.5), 4-78 (Livingstone, 10.2), 5-86 (Jitesh, 11.4), 6-92 (Ashutosh, 13.5), 7-99 (Shashank, 15.2), 8-139 (Harpreet Brar, 18.6), 9-140 (Harshal, 19.2).
GUJARAT TITANS BOWLING: Omarzai 2-0-13-0, Warrier 1-0-21-0, Mohit 4-0-32-2, Rashid 4-0-15-1, Noor 4-0-20-2, Sai Kishore 4-0-33-4, Shahrukh 1-0-7-0.
