Skipper Shubman Gill‘s fine half-century set the stage for an exhilarating chase, ultimately sealed by the heroics of Rashid Khan and Rahul Tewatia.
Gill, speaking in the post-match presentation, expressed his admiration for Rashid Khan’s competitiveness, stating, “I would have loved to finish the game but very happy with the way Rashid bhai and Rahul bhai finished the game.
Last game also, we dominated more than 50 per cent but our bad phases were very bad. He (Rashid) is such a fantastic player, someone you always want in your team. When GT is playing, do not think that (ruling the team out of the game).”
He emphasized the team’s unwavering belief, as they took the game deep and never lost hope till the very last ball.
The thrilling chase began with a solid partnership between Sai Sudarshan and Gill, laying the foundation for Gujarat’s pursuit of Rajasthan’s imposing total. Despite losing wickets at crucial junctures, Gill’s valiant 72-run innings kept Gujarat in the hunt until his dismissal in the 16th over.
A brief cameo by Shahrukh Khan and a resilient partnership between Tewatia and Rashid injected new life into the chase.
Tewatia’s quick-fire 22 and Rashid’s unbeaten 24 ensured Gujarat Titans reached the target of 197 runs off the last ball, culminating in a euphoric victory for the Titans.
Reflecting on the team’s strategy, Gill revealed, “We were targeting 45 in three overs and that is very much gettable, and that was the mindset. Mathematically, it is like both batters need to score 9-ball 22 runs or so and if one of the batters goes berserk, it will get over two-three balls prior.”
He praised the relentless efforts of his teammates, stating, “Winning the game off the last ball is a wonderful feeling.”
In a high-scoring encounter, Rajasthan Royals had posted a formidable total of 196/3, courtesy of a magnificent partnership between skipper Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag. Despite their efforts, Rajasthan suffered their first loss of the season, but retained their position at the top of the IPL table with eight points.
With this victory, Gujarat Titans climb to the sixth spot in the IPL standings, with three wins and three losses.
(With inputs from ANI)
