Gujarat Titans took four wickets in a dramatic final over to clinch a seven-run win against the Lucknow Super Giants, denying their opponents top spot in the Indian Premier League as Mohit Sharma starred.
The Titans were limited to 135-6 on a tricky surface, and the Super Giants looked set to edge a low-scoring affair when KL Rahul started the run chase strongly.
However, a Man-of-the-Match display from Mohit, who took 2-17 and closed out a final over containing four dismissals, ensured the Titans snatched a dramatic success at the last.
The Titans made a poor start with the bat as Shubman Gill went for a duck, handing Ravi Bishnoi a catch in the deep from just his second ball, but his exit allowed Wriddhiman Saha and Hardik Pandya to take up the mantle.
Saha was caught off Krunal Pandya’s bowling three runs shy of his half-century, but Hardik remained steady as the wickets tumbled around him, hitting 66 off 50 balls to keep the Titans in contention.
Hardik’s knock looked an excellent one on a slow surface, but the Titans skipper saw brother Krunal join Marcus Stoinis in claiming two wickets to leave the Super Giants chasing an attainable total.
Rahul led the run chase, accumulating 68 off 61 balls, but the Titans teed up a tense finish when Nicholas Pooran (1) swept into the hands of Hardik with three overs remaining.
Having kept things tight to leave the Super Giants needing 10 from five deliveries, Mohit decided the contest by having Rahul and Stoinis (0) caught off successive balls, with Ayush Badoni and Deepak Hooda run out at the last as the Titans claimed a remarkable win.
Mohit the star as Titans hold on
When Mohit regained the ball after 17 overs, the Super Giants were chasing 23 runs from 18 balls with seven wickets in hand and looked destined to leapfrog the Rajasthan Royals at the top of the IPL standings.
However, Mohit conceded just eight runs over his final two overs with the ball, with his figures of 2-17 – and his role in having Badoni and Hooda run out at the last – guiding his team to victory.
Hardik edges family affair
Saturday’s game saw Hardik pitted against older brother Krunal, who looked set to edge this family affair after getting two wickets and supporting Rahul with a knock of 23.
However, a series of late wickets ensured Hardik’s Titans came out on top, maintaining his excellent record as skipper.
Hardik has won 75 per cent of his games as captain in the IPL (15 out of 20), the best such rate of any player to have led their side in the competition. (Sportsmax)
