Gujarat Titans edge past Punjab Kings in last-over thriller
Sai Sudharsan’s composed 57 and Washington Sundar’s last-over six powered Gujarat Titans to a four-wicket win over Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad. Despite debutant Suryansh Shedge’s fighting fifty, Gujarat pacers Siraj, Holder and Rabada restricted Punjab to 163
Ahmedabad: Sai Sudharsan’s cool-headed 57, alongside the storm kicked up by pacers Mohammed Siraj, Jason Holder and Kagiso Rabada, carried Gujarat Titans to a last-over four-wicket victory over Punjab Kings in their IPL match here on Sunday.
On a slightly slow pitch, the Titans needed a level-headed chase of 164, and Sudharsan did precisely that during his 41-ball knock.
A similar innings from debutant Suryansh Shedge’s energetic 57 had helped PBKS post 163 for nine despite Siraj (2/28) and Holder (4/24) reducing them to 47 for five in 8.4 overs.
But it was Sudharsan’s turn to stand on the winners’ podium in the battle of half-centurions. The result meant GT stayed fifth in the table with 12 points, while PBKS maintained their top spot with 13 points.
After skipper Shubman Gill fell early to Arshdeep Singh, Sudharsan took control of the chase and added 53 runs for the second wicket with Jos Buttler.
Buttler (25) was the more dominant partner, hitting Marco Jansen and Xavier Bartlett for a six each, the second one being an audacious scoop over the wicketkeeper.
But the England batter could not clear the infield off Vyshak Vijayakumar, giving a catch to Shreyas Iyer. Sudharsan continued undeterred and reached his third fifty of this IPL season off 37 balls.
The left-hander celebrated with a couple of fours off Yuzvendra Chahal but was caught on the ropes by Bartlett attempting a pull off Vyshak.
The dismissal of Rahul Tewatia added drama to the contest, with GT needing 11 runs off the final over. Washington Sundar (40 not out, 23b) stayed long enough to finish the match with a scooped six off Marcus Stoinis.
Earlier, Shedge’s 29-ball innings, instrumental in a 79-run alliance for the sixth wicket with Stoinis (40), helped Punjab recover from a precarious position. Shedge hammered Manav Suthar for 26 runs in the 14th over, reaching his fifty in just 24 balls, before edging Rabada (2/22) to Buttler.
Siraj struck early, dismissing Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly off successive balls in the first over. Rabada then removed Prabhsimran Singh with a 152 kmph delivery. Holder followed up by dismissing Nehal Wadhera and skipper Shreyas Iyer, leaving PBKS in disarray.
Marco Jansen made a couple of big hits in the final over off Rashid Khan to take Punjab past the 160-run mark.
