Gujarat Titans win despite Theekshana’s powerplay strikes

The Gujarat Titans (GT) held their nerves to win a last-ball thriller in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 after defeating the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 3 wickets on Sunday at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.

A monumental knock from David Miller (94*) supported brilliantly by Rashid Khan’s quickfire 40 got Gujarat Titans across the line in a thrilling last-ball finish.

Chasing 170 to win, Gujarat Titans lost three wickets inside the powerplay and CSK bowlers were on the top of their game.

Shubman Gill was dismissed on the first ball he faced after the right-handed batter was caught at point off Mukesh Choudhary’s bowling.

Maheesh Theekshana scalped the wickets of Vijay Shankar and Abhinav Manohar as GT were 37-3 at the end of powerplay.

Wriddhiman Saha was the next batter to be dismissed after he was caught at deep square leg.

GT were 58-4 at the end of 10 overs with Rahul Tewatia and David Miller at the crease.

Miller took on the CSK skipper and hammered two sixes and one four as 19 runs were scored in the 12th over.

Dwayne Bravo broke the partnership after Tewatia was caught at mid-off by Jadeja. However, Miller continued the destruction with the bat and hit two sixes to get GT closer.

With 48 runs required off the final three overs, skipper Rashid Khan jumped on the bandwagon and dispatched three sixes and a four against Chris Jordan as 25 runs came from the 18th over.

Dwayne Bravo scalped two wickets on consecutive deliveries in the penultimate over as GT required 13 off the final over.

David Miller held his nerves and remained unbeaten on 94 to get GT over the line in the final over with a four and a six.

Earlier, CSK, who were put in to bat first, lost Robin Uthappa’s wicket early in the innings after the right-handed batter was trapped LBW by Mohammad Shami.

Ruturaj Gaikwad, on the other end, got going quickly and hammered 3 fours and 2 sixes.

However CSK lost their second wicket inside the powerplay after Moeen Ali dragged one on to the stumps against Alzarri Joseph.

Ambati Rayudu joined Ruturaj Gaikwad out in the middle and CSK were 66-2 at the halfway mark.

15 runs came off the 11th over after Gaikwad and Rayudu hit a six each against Alzarri Joseph.

Next over proved to be even better for CSK as fifty was up for Gaikwad, who smashed a free hit for six while Rayudu creamed two fours off Yash Dayal’s bowling.

The boundaries kept flowing for CSK as the fifty partnership was up for the pair. Alzarri Joseph scalped a crucial wicket of Ambati Rayudu to bring an end to the dangerous partnership.

Only 10 runs came off the next two overs and CSK lost Gaikwad’s wicket after the right-handed batter was caught in the deep for 73.

GT pulled things back with tight overs but CSK skipper Jadeja finished the innings in style with two sixes as CSK posted 169-5 in the first innings.

Brief Scores: Gujarat Titans 170-7 (David Miller 94*, Rashid Khan 40; Dwayne Bravo 3-23) beat Chennai Super Kings 169-5 (Ruturaj Gaikwad 73, Ambati Rayudu 46; Alzarri Joseph 2-34) by 3 wickets.