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Ishant Sharma conceded just six runs in the last over of Gujarat Titans (GT) run chase and won the low-scoring encounter at Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium to keep Delhi Capitals (DC) hopes of making it into the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 playoffs alive. Ishant was able to outsmart an in-form Rahul Tewatia who had smashed three sixes in the penultimate over off Anrich Nortje to turn the game upside down. After the match, Ishant revealed that he has had experience against Tewatia and was just having fun with him before double-bluffing him into giving his wicket.
“I played enough cricket him (Tewatia), so was just having fun with him. I knew I had to double bluff him otherwise we know what he can do with the bat,” Ishant told the broadcasters after DC’s thrilling win away from home.
In the final over when Tewatia got the strike, GT needed nine runs from four balls. Ishant started off with a wide yorker which Tewatia could not get his bat on. Tewatia reviewed the wide yorker as he felt it was a wide but the on-field decision stood. On the next ball, Ishant bowled it into the pitch and Tewatia could not get the ball in the middle of the bat. He got caught just outside the 30-yard circle by Rilee Rossouw. Tewatia was not in a position to play that shot as he expected the ball to be full. There was no protection past Rossouw to save the boundary and Ishant executed the ball with perfection.
GT’s designated finisher scored 20 runs from just seven balls in the run chase of 131. After his wicket, Ishant kept Rashid Khan kept quiet as DC defended their lowest score in IPL history by far.
Ishant took two wickets and conceded 23 runs from his quota of four overs. He also got the wicket of in-form Vijay Shankar with a superb knuckleball.
“I keep practicing in the nets. We practice bowling we the new ball, but at the same time we do practice bowling wide yorkers, and today the hardwork paid off, I just backed myself and bowled wide yorkers. When you are preparing yourself in the nets we plan to certain batsmen as to what to bowl and it is all about executing it every single time, back yourself and believing in yourself,” Ishant said when asked about his execution.
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