IPL 2022: Shubman Gill scores 96, Rahul Tewatia's 3-ball 13 helps Gujarat Titans beat Punjab by 6 wickets

Mumbai, April 8: Rahul Tewatia kept his love against West Indies bowlers intact as he dispatched Odean Smith for two consecutive sixes and guided Gujarat Titans to a sensational 6-wicket win over Punjab Kings in IPL 2022 at Brabourne Stadium.

Chasing 190, Gujarat Titans reached home on the very last delivery of the match and registered their third successive win on the trot in the ongoing tournament. They now jump to the second spot in the points table with six points and have a healthy net run rate.

In a game that went down the wire to the very last ball, Tewatia showed nerves of steel and took his team home in style. With 19 required from the final over, the Titans hoped their captain Hardik Pandya will finish the game but the Baroda all-rounder was run out on the first ball of the final over while trying to get to the strike. A direct hit from wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow ended his knock as Pandya was nowhere in the frame when the stumps were disturbed.

Pandya scored 27 off 18 and left his team in a tricky situation with David Miller - who was also relatively new to the crease. However, Tewatia ensured his team had the last laugh by taking the side home. The Haryana all-rounder did something similar to Sheldon Cottrell back in IPL 2020 when he hit him for four sixes in a row while playing for Rajasthan Royals at Sharjah International Stadium and tonight he attacked Odean Smith.

Shubman Gill once again proved why he's such a highly-rated young talent in world cricket as he scored 96 off 59 deliveries. The talented right-handed batter from Punjab started from where he left in the previous game. After scoring a match-winning 84 in the last game, the right-handed batter went a step further against Punjab Kings but missed his maiden IPL ton by just 4 runs.

Along with debutant Sai Sudharsan - who scored a superb 35 off 30 balls - Gill shared a partnership of 101 runs for the second wicket. The two youngsters batted exceedingly well in the middle overs and kept the asking rate under check.

Earlier in the day, England all-rounder Liam Livingstone, this IPL's costliest foreign player, made full use of a lucky reprieve to smash a second consecutive half-century and help Punjab Kings post 189 for 9.

Livingstone, who was bought for Rs 11.5 crore, smashed 64 off just 27 balls to score the bulk of the runs for Punjab Kings after being asked to bat first. He shared 52 runs for the third wicket with opener Shikhar Dhawan (35) to revive the Punjab innings after they were 43 for 2 after the powerplay.

Livingstone, who had hit 60 off 32 balls against Chennai Super Kings in the previous match, survived by the skin of his teeth in the ninth over, when he was on 14, as Titans captain Hardik Pandya's foot touched the boundary ropes while trying to take a high catch off-spinner Rashid Khan (3/22).

The Englishman took full advantage of the 'life' given to him as he reached his fifty off 21 balls. In the end, he struck seven fours and four sixes in his quickfire knock.

The potent Gujarat Titans bowling attack made a brief comeback with debutant Darshan Nalkande (2/37) and the seasoned Rashid claiming wickets in quick succession. Nalkande removed Jitesh Sharma (23) and Odean Smith (0) off consecutive balls in the 14th over, while the wily Rashid dismissed Livingstone and Shahrukh Khan (15) in the space of three balls in the 16th over, besides claiming the wicket of Dhawan earlier.

From 153 for 5 in the 16th over, Punjab were reduced to 162 for 9 but Rahul Chahar and Arshdeep Singh stitched a valuable 27-run partnership for the unconquered last wicket to take their side to a stiff total.

Earlier, captain Mayank Agarwal (5) was out cheaply for the third time while star England batter Jonny Bairstow's debut match for Punjab Kings lasted eight balls for as many runs as both fell inside the powerplay overs.

(With PTI inputs)