Gujarat Titans (GT) got off to a winning start in a last-over thriller against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Titans chased down 159 with two balls to spare and registered their maiden IPL win by five wickets. The win also cleared the doubts over Titans’ middle-order which looked weaker on paper compared to Giants as Rahul Tewatia repeated his Sharjah heroics to get Titans over the line.
Chameera gets new ball talking
GT's start to the 159-run chase was not ideal either. Shubman Gill got out for a three-ball duck as Dushmantha Chameera picked up his maiden IPL wicket. Promoted to no.3, Vijay Shankar was beaten by a low full toss from Chameera and walked back to the dressing room in the third over. Hardik came out to bat at no.4. He timed the ball well and got a few boundaries. He stitched a 57-run partnership for the third wicket with Matthew Wade, who returned to IPL after a long wait of 11 years.
Middle order fires after double blow
Just when the two were looking settled at the crease, Krunal got the wicket of his brother in the 11th over. Hardik got out after scoring 33 runs from 28 deliveries including five fours and one six. In the next over, Wade got knocked over by off-spinner Hooda. He scored 30 runs from 29 deliveries on his return.
After two quick wickets, Titans needed a solid partnership which was provided by David Miller and Rahul Tewatia. Miller played a 21-ball 30 cameo studded with one four and two sixes. In the death overs, Tewatia was joined by debutant Abhinav Manohar Sadarangani in the middle. Sadarangani repaid the franchise's faith with an impact cameo of seven-ball 15. Tewatia remained unbeaten for 40 and finished the run chase with a boundary.
Rahul's miscalculation
The all-rounder's match-winning knock included five fours and two sixes. For LSG, the extra over to Hooda turned out to be an expensive one. Rahul did not bring Chameera earlier and did not complete his quota of four overs despite the debutant being LSG's best bowler in the clash.
Shami blows LSG top order away
Earlier Mohammed Shami rushed through Giants’ top order. Shami started off with the wicket of Rahul off the first ball of the innings. In the next over, Shami went through Quinton de Kock’s defences to send both the openers back in the dugout. Varun Aaron joined the party as well with Evin Lewis’ wicket. Shubman Gill took a fabulous catch to negate the Lewis threat. Shami struck again but getting the wicket of experienced Manish Pandey to reduce them for 29/4 in the fifth over.
Hooda, Badoni turn it around
Experienced campaigner Hooda and 22-year-old Badoni took the mantle of rebuilding the innings. At the halfway stage, LSG were 47/4. After playing themselves in, the duo fired. Hooda was the first one to break free with a couple of boundaries against Hardik. Aaron became his second victim. He got to his fifty off 38 deliveries in the 14th over. Soon, Badoni joined the party as well by taking Hardik to the cleaners. Hooda could not carry on and became Rashid's first victim of the season. He scored 55 off 41 deliveries. In the death overs, Badoni got a few boundaries and reached his maiden IPL fifty. He had support from Krunal, who contributed with a 13-ball 21 cameo to help LSG post a fighting total of 158/6.
For GT, Aaron turned out to be the most expensive bowler as he leaked 47 runs from his quota of four overs. Shami was expensive in his last over but still conceded 25 runs and took three wickets. Hardik’s bowling return was not a fruitful one as he conceded 37 runs in his four overs and remained wicketless. Rashid and Ferguson were economical, conceding 27 and 24 runs respectively.
