On Tuesday, March 25, Gujarat Titans (GT) lost a high-scoring match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 11 runs.
On what looked to be a fantastic hitting wicket, Shubman Gill won the toss and decided to field first. Priyansh Arya and captain Shreyas Iyer put on a 51-run partnership off 21 balls, but Prabhsimran Singh was dismissed cheaply. Azmatulla Omarzai, Glenn Maxwell, and Marcus Stoinis couldn’t do much damage after Arya was dismissed for 47 off 23 balls.
Talking Points
1. Shreyas Iyer knocked on the door
Shreyas Iyer took on the duty of guiding Punjab to an enormous sum. Shashank Singh provided him with excellent support and quickly adjusted to the new circumstances. With an undefeated 81-run partnership off just 28 deliveries, the two batters destroyed the Gujarat bowling.
87 runs were scored in the closing five overs of the innings. After 16 balls, Shashank finished with 44 not out. Shreyas dethroned his IPL record with a score of 97 not out off 42 balls during the time. R Sai Kishore returned with statistics of 3/30 from four overs, making him the top bowler for the home team.
2. Gujarat’s promising start is not enough
Gujarat needed their young openers Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill to step up and take on the formidable mark of 244. They followed suit, hitting a 61-run partnership during the powerplay with some graceful shots. When Shubman was bowled by Glenn Maxwell, the gamble paid off as he was bowling for a tremendous shot.
Gujarat failed to chase the enormous total despite a strong powerplay partnership between Gill and Sudharsan, followed by an 84-run partnership between Jos Buttler and Sudharsan (74 off 41). They were 12 runs short and never got the necessary run-a-ball in the last overs.
3. The victory is sealed by Arshdeep Singh’s clutch bowling.
Gujarat needed 27 runs from the last over and had seven wickets left, thus Arshdeep Singh had to play well. He demonstrated why he is Punjab’s best bowler in pressure-filled circumstances by giving up just 15 runs, taking two crucial wickets, and finishing with stats of 2/36.
Who Said What?
Shubman Gill, Gujarat Titans Captain said
I think we got our chances when we were bowling and batting. Too many runs were given away. We let ourselves down on the field as well. Those three overs in the middle when we scored 18 runs, that and the first three overs we didn’t score too many runs. That costed us the game.
Many positives as well. Good start to the tournament I guess. (on Vyshak) Never easy for someone to come in as an Impact player and bowl those yorkers when you have been on the bench for 15 overs. Credit to them for bowling yorkers on the trot. I mean it is always a good batting wicket here to bat on. You might score 240-250, but you have to restrict the opposition as well.
Shreyas Iyer, PBKS Captain and POTM said
Getting 97 not out in the opening game of the season for us is the icing on the cake. I got a four the first ball I faced and it got me going. That flick six off Rabada as well. 44 runs he (Shashank) scored off 16-17 balls was pretty crucial for the team. We set a benchmark that we had to go for it.
With the dew coming things could change and thankfully he performed. (on Vyshak) He is a funny character. He has got traits in him where he comes in with the right attitude. He bowled the yorkers straightaway. Kept his calm and composure. Arshdeep played an important role in that (the wide yorker plan).
He came in and said the ball is actually reversing a bit so the saliva on the ball is helping the bowlers a bit I guess. He got Sai and that changed the momentum for us and then he came in and said let’s start the wide yorkers earlier than trying it too late.
Before the season started we left no stone unturned. In our meetings everyone chipped in with what we can execute on the field and it wasn’t just me talking. We look to carry forward the momentum into the other games as well.
India
