In a season filled with moments to remember, Gujarat Titans added plenty more to the catalogue on Sunday against Lucknow Super Giants. The batting department went all guns blazing and our bowlers produced a clinical finish as well, helping us inch closer to confirming a playoff berth. 

The Saha-Gill show!

Wriddhiman Saha wasted no time to get the party started, smashing two boundaries in the first over. The onslaught continued for a while, as Saha kept going after all the LSG bowlers and was finding the fence with ease. 

Saha brought up his fifty off only 20 deliveries and his terrific start helped us register our highest-ever powerplay total. We finished with 78 runs in the six overs, the best by Gujarat Titans in TATA IPL. 

Interestingly, Shubman Gill hit just 22 runs at this stage and he hit the fifth gear right after the field-restricted overs ended. With Saha and Gill taking turns to score boundaries and at the half-way stage, our scoring rate was over 11. Gill completed a valiant half-century and the duo also brought up the highest opening partnership in Gujarat Titans history as well. 

Saha was dismissed for a sensational 81 off 43 deliveries, striking at nearly 190. Gill took over the onus alongside skipper Hardik Pandya. Interestingly, until the 16th over, Gill had not scored a single four and was only dealing in sixes. 

Gill’s thunderous striking, alongside the blitz coming from the willow of Pandya and David Miller, saw us score 227 for two, our best team total in the tournament history. 

It was a brilliant wicket to bat on and our batters seized the opportunity with both hands. Gill, who has a Test century, ODI century (and double ton), T20I century in 2023, nearly completed a full circle with a TATA IPL century, but fell six runs short. 

Job done, once again!

After the break, even the LSG openers too were off to a solid start. Kyle Mayers and Quinton de Kock played some delightful shots to make the most of their powerplay overs, but right after the first six, a moment of magic from Rashid Khan turned the tide in our favour. 

He ran nearly 30 metres to pick up a sensational catch at backward-square and there was no looking back after that. Deepak Hooda and Marcus Stoinis fell in quick succession and in a game as high-scoring as this, our bowlers did not concede any boundaries for 26 deliveries.

Mohit Sharma’s expert precision in taking the pace off frustrated the batters and mounted the pressure. Noor Ahmad too turned up with another economical spell, conceding only 26 runs in four overs and returning with the wicket of Nicholas Pooran. 

Mohit picked up two wickets off the last two deliveries of his spell, returning with four scalps on the day. Our Purple Cap contenders consolidated their stay at the top wicket each and they both have 19 wickets to their credit. 

Lucknow managed 171 for seven 20 overs, helping us pick up our eighth win of the tournament.  

Brief Scores

Gujarat Titans 227/2 in 20 overs (Shubman Gill 94*, Wriddhiman Saha 81) beat Lucknow Super Giants 171/7 in 20 overs (Quinton de Kock 70, Mohit Sharma 4/28)