Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], May 4 : Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper Shubman Gill acknowledged that the chase against Punjab Kings (PKS) wasn't straightforward and required patience rather than aggression.
A four-wicket haul from Jason Holder and measured knocks from Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar helped GT beat PBKS in a last-over thriller by four wickets at Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.
Gill said GT were aware the surface wouldn't allow a quick finish, so the focus was on building the innings steadily and taking the game deep.
He highlighted that batting wasn't easy for newcomers on this pitch, making it essential for set players to anchor the chase till the end. Gill also noted that the conditions didn't offer many scoring opportunities off length balls, unlike other venues.
"I think in chases like these, we would have liked to not take it as deep as it went, but two crucial points. This is not the kind of wicket where we'll chase in 15-16 overs. So we thought maybe one over before or a couple of overs before. That was the talk. If someone is set, they should go deep because it's not easy to hit from ball 1. Length balls weren't coming as we play on other wickets. It was important for the batsman who was set. luckily we had Washi, and he finished the game for us," Shubman Gill said after the match.
With this win, GT are at the sixth spot, with six wins and four losses, giving them 12 points. PBKS still stay at the top, with six wins, two losses and a no result, giving them 13 points.
GT opted to bowl first, and it was a 79-run stand for the sixth wicket between Marcus Stoinis (40 in 31 balls, with five fours and a six) and Suryansh Shedge (57 in 29 balls, with three fours and five sixes) that took PBKS to 163/9 in 20 overs, with Holder (4/24) being an absolute trouble for PBKS batters.
Later in the chase, PBKS kept fighting, but knocks from Sai Sudharsan (57 in 41 balls, with five fours and a six) and Washington Sundar (40* in 23 balls, with five fours and a six) took GT to a win with one ball left.
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