Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 17 : Gujarat Titans (GT) opener Sai Sudharsan overtook former Australian batter Shaun Marsh to become the fastest cricketer to reach 3,000 runs in T20s.
Sudharsan reached this milestone against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens. After being hit on his left elbow by a Kartik Tyagi delivery, Sudharsan walked off the field, but later came back, producing an unbeaten 53* in 28 balls, with six fours and three sixes in GT's 248-run chase.
Sudharsan reached the 3,000 run mark in 78 innings, outdoing Marsh, who reached the milestone in 85 innings. Currently, the 24-year-old has made 3,017 runs in 79 matches at an average of 43.72 and a strike rate of 142.17, including four centuries and 21 fifties.
Sudharsan is currently the Orange Cap holder for most runs this season, with 554 runs in 13 innings at an average of 46.16 and a strike rate of 157.83, including a century and six fifties, with the best score of 100.
Sudharsan has posted four successive 50-plus run scores for GT so far this season, the most by a batter in a season, with his 53* against KKR, 61 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), 55 against Rajasthan Royals (RR) and 57 against Punjab Kings (PBKS), he has made a massive recovery in the second half of the tournament after a poor first half, where he managed just one fifty in six innings.
Coming to the match, GT opted to bowl first, and the three-time IPL champions made them pay as after skipper Rahane (14) got out early, Finn Allen (93 in 35 balls, with four boundaries and 10 sixes) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi smashed the bowlers all over the park, putting up a sizzling 95-run stand. Following Allen's dismissal, Raghuvanshi reached his fifth fifty of the season, pressing the accelarator during his 108-run stand with Cameron Green (52* in 28 balls, with three fours and four sixes), helping KKR reach 247/2 in 20 overs. Raghuvanshi scored an unbeaten 82* in 44 balls, with four boundaries and seven sixes.
Mohammed Siraj and Sai Kishore got a wicket each.
During the run-chase, Sai Sudharsan retired hurt early. Skipper Shubman Gill (85 in 49 balls, with five fours and seven sixes) and Jos Buttler (57 in 35 balls, with five fours and two sixes) put on a 128-run stand to put GT in the hunt. But once they were dismissed, GT could not keep the run-rate up, ending at 218/4 in 20 overs.
Sunil Narine (2/29) was the pick of the bowlers for KKR and also the 'Player of the Match'.
GT is in second place, with eight wins and five losses, giving them 16 points. KKR is at seventh, with five wins, six losses and a no result, giving them 11 points.
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