Rahul Tewatia smashed a couple of sixes off the last two deliveries after the talented Shubman Gill's magnificent 96 off just 59 balls as Gujarat Titans pulled off a dramatic six-wicket win over Punjab Kings in their IPL match on Friday. Chasing 190 for a win, Gill was out in the 19th over after hitting 11 fours and a six, followed by his captain Hardik Pandya (27) in the final over as the Titans needed 12 runs from the last two balls.
Tewatia (13 not out off 3 balls), who has a reputation of hitting big sixes in crunch situations, sent the last two balls bowled by Odean Smith for maximums to hand the Titans their third win on the trot.
Right after winning the match for Gujarat, Tewatia said it feels when the game is won and there wasn't a lot to think in the final over.
"It feels good when the game is won. There wasn't a lot to think in the final over, we just had to hit sixes and that's what me and David (Miller) were talking about. I knew (on the last-ball six) that it had gone off the middle of the bat, so it would clear the fence. I did premeditate, felt he (Odean) bowl wide outside off to me, premeditated and it executed well for me," Tewatia said in the post-match presentation.
The Punjab side made a brilliant comeback at the death and they were on the verge of a victory only to be denied by Tewatia in a dramatic fashion.
Gill, who had hit 84 in the previous match against Delhi Capitals, was in imperious form as he cut, drove and smacked the Punjab bowlers to hold one end together. He shared 101 runs in 11.2 overs with debutant Sai Sudharsan (35 off 30 balls) to keep the Titans on course in the run chase.
Tewatia also spoke about side's dressing room vibe and how Ashish Nehra and Gary Kirsten as a support staff have done a really good job for the franchise.
"The dressing room is really chilled. Ashu Bhai (Nehra), Gary Kirsten and the support staff have done a really good job. We're just told to execute the plans well and backed well," he added.
It was not an easy chase though as the Titans needed more than 11 runs an over after Sudharsan was out off Rahul Chahar (1/41) in the 15th over.
Arshdeep Singh (0/31) bowled brilliantly in the 18th over, giving away just five runs, leaving the Titans to score 32 from the final two overs.
In a tense finish, Gill was out in the penultimate over after his captain had struck two fours off Kagiso Rabada (2/35). The Titans needed 19 from the final over bowled by Smith (0/35) and 12 from the last two balls and Tewatia did the unthinkable.
Earlier, England all-rounder Liam Livingstone, this IPL's costliest foreign player, made full use of a lucky reprieve to smash a second consecutive half century and help Punjab Kings post 189 for 9. Livingstone, who was bought for Rs 11.5 crore, smashed 64 off just 27 balls to score the bulk of the runs for Punjab Kings after being asked to bat first.
He shared 52 runs for the third wicket with opener Shikhar Dhawan (35) to revive the Punjab innings after they were 43 for 2 after the powerplay.
