Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill’s flawless and unbeaten half-century was overshadowed by Shashank Singh’s fiery knock as Punjab Kings registered a thrilling three-wicket win in an Indian Premier League match in Ahmedabad on Thursday. Gill made 89 off 48 balls, the highest individual score so far this season, hitting six fours and four maximums to guide GT to an imposing 199 for four. He was also generously helped by B Sai Sudharsan’s 19-ball 33 and Rahul Tewatia’s eight-ball unbeaten 23.
But heartbreak awaited GT as Shashank played the knock of his life and remained unbeaten on 61 off 29 balls, hitting six boundaries and four sixes to guide PBKS home with a ball to spare.
He was ably supported by Ashutosh Sharma (31 off 17) as the duo shared 43 runs off just 22 balls to boost PBKS’s hopes, which eventually came true.
Chasing a big total, PBKS suffered an early shock in the form of captain Shikhar Dhawan, who played through on an Umesh Yadav delivery as he blasted a shot through the cover region.
Jonny Bairstow (22 off 13), not in the best form, was then cleaned up by Afghan left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad.
PBKS continued to lose wickets at regular intervals as next to follow was Prabhsimran Singh (35 off 24; 5x4s, 1×6), caught by Mohit Sharma at third man when the batsman made a heave against a tossed up delivery from Ahmad alone to get a to gain top advantage when PBKS slid to 64 for three towards the end of the eighth over.
Sikandar Raza was dropped twice in Umesh Yadav’s eleventh over, although both were difficult chances.
But it was Shashank who took advantage of the lives, hitting Umesh for two boundaries and a six to take 17 runs in the 11th over.
However, Raza didn’t last long as he left behind a hard Mohit delivery to Wriddhiman Saha behind the stumps.
Shashank continued to use his long handle and hit a couple of boundaries and sixes to keep PBKS in the hunt.
Shashank held on to one end and brought up his 50 from just 25 balls with the help of five boundaries and three hits over the fence.
Shashank single-handedly kept PBKS in contention with his fireworks. He was ably supported by Ashutosh as the duo snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
Earlier sent to bat, opener Gill made a glittering start to the innings when he hit spinner Harpreet Brar straight over the head in the first six of the match.
The runs flowed for GT until the third over before Kagiso Rabada (2/44) dismissed Wriddhiman Saha, who was caught by PBKS skipper Shikhar Dhawan midway through the match.
Kane Williamson (26 off 22), who replaced the injured David Miller, looked good as he hit Sam Curran and Rabada for a pair of boundaries to keep the GT scoreboard ticking.
But Williamson’s blow was cut short by Brar’s extra bounce, which was caught at backward point by Jonny Bairstow in the ninth over.
Zimbabwean all-rounder Raza was scrutinized by Gill and newcomer Sudharsan as the duo took 14 runs off the 12th over thanks to three hits against the fence.
Gill led from the front and battered Rabada for maximum before Sudharsan hit the bowler to the mid-on boundary to keep the pace high.
Sudharsan went about his business in style and explored boundaries at his own discretion, while Gill liked to play second fiddle.
Sudharsan’s cameo came to an end when Harshal Patel snared him and was caught by wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma as the batsman went for an upper cut on a slower delivery.
Gill brought up his fifty off 31 balls with a boundary behind deep square leg in the 15th over.
Gill was at his imperious best when he dismissed Harshal for a maximum in the 17th over.
While Gill was firing all guns blazing from one end, Vijay Shankar was flat and caught at long range off Rabada by a diving Brar.
In his second spell, Harshal was idiosyncratic with his lengths and Tewatia made good use of it as the penultimate over yielded 20 runs.
Tewatia played a blinder, including two boundaries off pacer Arshdeep Singh in the last two balls.
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