New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson scalped four wickets for 28 runs in a stunning display of pace and accuracy after Shubman Gill's imperious 84 to help Gujarat Titans beat Delhi Capitals by 14 runs and register their second consecutive win in their maiden IPL season on Saturday.
Ferguson, who was bought for a whopping Rs 10 crore in the IPL auction, dismissed dangerous opener Prithvi Shaw (10), Mandeep Singh (18), captain Rishabh Pant (43 off 29 balls) and Axar Patel (8) to rock the DC's run chase of 172.
Veteran pacer Mohammed Shami (2/30) chipped in with two late wickets to hand DC, who finished on 157 for nine, their first defeat in the tournament.
After tasting their first defeat in the IPL 2022, DC captain Pant admitted that it feels heartbroken after losing as he said the total was not so big which should have been chased.
"I think according to the wicket that total was not so big. We could have batted well specially in the middle overs, we lost three wickets in the powerplay and three in the middle. I think every match is going to be hard after losing so many wickets. Depending on the weather conditions (we will decide to bat or bowl first), but we are not thinking about that now and we will see when we come back to Pune. He (Ponting) has been amazing since day one. When you lose you feel heartbroken but at the end of the day if you keep improving and have a better environment then people can perform in the next match," Pant said in the post match presentation.
Meanwhile, Titans captain Hardik Pandya got his first wicket as he dismissed DC opener Tim Seifert (3) while Rashid Khan (1/30) also chipped in with the scalp of Shardul Thakur.
It was not the best of starts for DC as they lost opener Seifert in the second over. Ferguson then rocked DC's innings with two wickets in the fifth over -- Shaw and Mandeep -- as the Titans found themselves in the ascendency.
But DC captain Pant and Lalit Yadav (25), who had played a major role in DC's win in their previous match, revived the chase with a 61-run stand off 6.5 overs for the fourth wicket.
Lalit was run out in a dramatic fashion in the 12th over. Off a throw by Abhinav Manohar at the bowler's end, one bail had gone off early due to Vijay Shankar's foot being in contact with the stumps.
Shankar dislodged the other bail off as Lalit dived at full stretch. Pant had a discussion with the umpires, but Lalit had to trudge off.
Once Pant was out after a belligerent innings, it was becoming increasingly difficult for DC to chase down the target. They needed 46 runs from the final five overs with only four wickets remaining.
Thakur was out in the 16th over and then Shami removed Rovman Powell (20) and Khaleel Ahmed (0) in a two-wicket burst in the 18th over to virtually end DC's hope.
