Gujarat Titans beat Punjab Kings in thriller

Mumbai: Gujarat Titans maintained the unbeaten run in IPL 2022 as they beat Punjab Kings by 6 wickets in a thriller at Brabourne Stadium. With this win they reached second spot in points table. Needing 12 runs from last two balls, left hander Rahul Tewatia hit two huge sixes through mid-wicket of Odean Smith over to register nail-betting win.

Chasing 190 runs to win, Gujarat Titans reached the targer by losing 4 wickets. Opener Shubman Gill scored 96 runs in 59 balls but went back in vital stage of the game. He added 101 runs with Sai Sudharsan (35 runs off 30 balls) for the second wicket. They needed 19 runs from the final over of Odean Smith. Hardik Pandya was run out in the first ball after making 27 runs from 18 balls. Then Tewatia save the day for his team in style.

Earlier, Liam Livingstone blasted 64 off 27 deliveries -- his second successive half-century in IPL, but Punjab Kings lost their way a bit before recovering to post 189/9 in 20.

Livingstone came in with PBKS struggling at 2-34 and then added 52 runs for the third wicket partnership with Shikhar Dhawan (35, 30b, 4x4). He went on to complete his half-century off 21 balls, hammering debutant Darshan Nalkande for a six and four in one over and struck him for two successive fours in another over. Livingstone went on to blast his second successive half-century in IPL to help PBKS recover.

The Englishman had struck a similar knock, 60 against Chennai Super Kings in their previous match that helped the team register their second win.

Punjab Kings lost their way a bit in the middle overs as Jitesh Sharma 23 of 11 balls) and Odean Smith (0) were out off successive deliveries off a Nalkande's third over. Though Shah Rukh Khan avoided the hat-trick, he too did not last long, trapped lbw by Rashid Khan.

Livingstone perished going for one shot too many as he mishit to David Miller at the boundary off Rashid Khan. PBKS, who were cruising at 150/5 in the 15th over, were soon 154/7 in the 16th over and down to 162/9 in the 18th over.

Rahul Chahar (22 not out off 14) and Arshdeep Singh (10 off 5) struck a few lusty blows in the last two overs as Punjab Kings reached a challenging 189/9 in 20 overs.

For Gujarat Titans, Rashid Khan was the most successful bowler with 3/22 while Darshan Nalkande claimed 2/37 off three overs on debut.

Brief scores: Punjab Kings 189/9 in 20 overs (Dhawan 35, Livingstone 64, Rahul Chahar 22 not out; Rashid Khan 3/22, Darshan Nalkande 2/37) lost to Gujarat Titans 190/4 in 20 overs (Shubman Gill 96, Sai Sudharsan 35, Hardik Pandya 27, Rahul Tewatia 13no, Kagiso Rabada 2/35).

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