Indian Premier League 2024: Gujarat Titans register vital win against Punjab Kings

Mullanpur: Former champion Gujarat Titans kept hopes alive in Indian Premier League 2024 as the beat Punjab Kings by 3 wickets in a low scoring affair at the PCA Stadium here on Sunday night.

Chasing 143, the visitors reached the target in 19.1 overs losing 7 wickets. Their openers Wriddhiman Saha (13) and captain Shubman Gill (35) put on 66 runs in 9.3 overs. Veteran David Miller (4) failed but 22-year-old Sai Sudharsan scored 31 runs in middle overs. Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan (8) added 35 runs from 17 balls in the pressure situation to take the game away from the hosts. Tewatia remained unbeaten at 36 from 18 balls.

Earlier, Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma, the talismanic batters that have saved Punjab Kings many times this season, failed to fire for once as spinner Sai Kishore's four-fer helped Gujarat Titans bowl out the hosts for a paltry 142.

Punjab Kings (PBKS) made a fine start, racing to fifty within the Power-play but skipper Sam Curran's decision to bat first, on a pitch that has been used more than once this season and has turned slower, backfired as his batters failed to counter Gujarat Titans' spin attack and ended up with a below-par score.

Sai Kishore claimed 4-33 while Afghan left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmed claimed 2-20 while his senior colleague Rashid Khan bagged 1-15 as Punjab Kings landed in a spin web and never recovered.

Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma, who have waged many battles for Punjab Kings so far in IPL 2024, were out for eight and three runs respectively as Punjab suffered a dramatic collapse.

Punjab Kings' good start in the Power-play turned into a nightmarish middle-order collapse as they slumped from 52 to no loss to 99/7 in around 10 overs as the Gujarat Titans spun a web around their batters.

Spinners Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmed and Rashid Khan starred for Gujarat Titans, sharing six wickets between them, as they returned strongly after their pacers faced rough treatment from opener Prabhsimran Singh.

Noor Ahmed, who claimed the wickets of Rossouw and Livingstone, finished 2-20 while Mohit Sharma bagged 2-32 as Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill used seven bowlers including all his spin resources.

Harpreet Brar hammered 12-ball 29 as Punjab Kings managed to reach a below-par score, leaving their bowlers an uphill task in the second innings.

Brief scores: Punjab Kings 142 all out in 20 overs (Prabhsimran Singh 35, Harpreet Brar 29; Sai Kishore 4-33, Noor Ahmed 2-20, Mohit Sharma 2-32) lost to Gujarat Titans 146/7 in 19.1 overs Shubman Gill 35, Sai Sudharsan 31, rahul Tewatia 36no, Harshal Patel 3/15, Livingstone 2/19). Agencies

Also Read: Indian Premier League 2024: Delhi Capitals thrash Gujarat Titans by 6 wickets

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