The Gujarat Titans (GT) were unable to hold on to a strong batting performance, falling to the Punjab Kings (PBKS) by three wickets in a high-scoring Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday, April 4.
Despite an all-around effort from GT, PBKS chased down a mammoth target of 200 runs with one ball to spare.
GT Batting Struggles Early
GT struggled early in their innings, losing opener Wriddhiman Saha cheaply to Kagiso Rabada in the third over. The return of Kane Williamson after injury sparked excitement among the home crowd, but the Kiwi captain could only manage 26 runs.
Shubman Gill Anchors GT Innings
However, skipper Shubman Gill led the way for GT with a brilliant 89 runs off just 48 balls. His knock included six fours and four sixes, providing much-needed stability to the innings. Sai Sudharshan chipped in with a valuable 33 runs as GT posted a formidable total of 199/4 in their 20 overs.
Despite their efforts, the PBKS bowlers struggled to find wickets, focusing on building pressure through fielding.
PBKS Chase Starts Strong
In reply, English batter Jonny Bairstow provided a solid start for PBKS with a 22-run knock. However, he couldn't convert it into a big score, falling prey to a good delivery by Noor Ahmad in the powerplay.
Skipper Shikhar Dhawan also departed early, bowled by Umesh Yadav for just 1 run.
Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Seal Victory for PBKS
The turning point for PBKS came with the emergence of late-innings heroes Shashank Singh (61* runs) and impact substitute Ashutosh (31 runs). The duo stitched together a crucial 50-run partnership to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat for the visitors.
