Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings: Remember the name ‘Rahul Tewatia’
Published on: Feb 20, 2023 8:45 pm IST|Updated on: Feb 20, 2023 8:45 pm IST
Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings: Gujarat Titans faced Punjab Kings in their fourth match of IPL 2022 at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Mumbai on April 8. This encounter between these two teams was expected to be an exciting affair, as both teams had previously performed well in the tournament.
Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings: The Powerplay
After winning the toss, GT decided to field first. PBKS started cautiously, and by the end of the powerplay, they had lost two wickets and scored 43 runs. GT, on the other hand, had a fantastic start as they scored 53 runs without losing any wicket. Opener Shubman Gill was looking in excellent touch as he hit six boundaries in his 25-ball 34.
The Middle Overs
In the middle overs, PBKS batsmen Livingstone and Dhawan took the attack to the opposition bowlers. They scored 89 runs in just 47 balls, which included four sixes. Livingstone played a blistering knock of 64 off just 27 balls, while Dhawan scored 35 off 30 balls. The Titans bowlers tried their best to stop the run flow, but they couldn’t contain the PBKS batsmen.
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In response, GT had a slow start in the middle overs, and by the end of the 15th over, they had scored only 81 runs. Gill continued to score runs at a brisk pace and reached his fifty in just 35 balls. He got some support from Sai Sudarshan, who played a crucial knock of 35 runs off 30 balls. However, after Kishore’s dismissal, GT lost momentum and could only score 20 runs in the last three overs.
The Death Overs
In the death overs, PBKS struggled to maintain the momentum they had gained in the middle overs. They lost four wickets in the last four overs and scored only 37 runs. GT bowlers Mohammed Shami and Lockie Ferguson bowled exceptionally well in the death overs, conceding only 14 runs in the last two overs.
In the chase, GT lost their opener Saha early, but Gill continued to score runs at a brisk pace. He got some support from Sai Sudarshan, who scored 35 runs off 30 balls. However, after Sudarshan’s dismissal, GT lost some momentum, and the match went down to the wire.
In the last over, GT needed 12 runs to win, and Rahul Tewatia was on strike. He hit the first ball for a six, and then on the last two deliveries of the match, he hit two consecutive sixes to take his team over the line. Tewatia remained unbeaten on 14 off 4 balls, while Gill scored a magnificent 96 off 59 balls.
Conclusion
It was a nail-biting thriller between two well-matched teams as Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings was on the money. GT registered their third consecutive victory and continued their unbeaten run in the tournament. Shubman Gill’s brilliant knock of 96 off 59 balls and Tewatia’s last-over heroics helped GT chase down a competitive total posted by PBKS. PBKS would be disappointed with their loss, but they can take some positives from the game, as they fought hard and gave a tough fight to GT.