The Gujarat Titans (GT) claimed a hard-fought 7-run victory over the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the Indian Premier League 2023 on Saturday at Lucknow’s Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium. The win was a memorable one for GT, who had been struggling to find form.
In a thrilling clash, Gujarat’s Mohit Sharma played a crucial role in securing the victory as he successfully defended 12 runs, pulling off a comeback for the ages as LSG fell short of the target by 8 runs.
Lucknow openers, KL Rahul and Kyle Mayers, got off to a good start, with Rahul attacking Shami in the second over and hitting three consecutive boundaries. The duo added 16 runs in the fifth over to take LSG to 53/0 at the end of the powerplay. However, Rashid Khan bowled brilliantly and dismissed Mayers for 24.
Krunal Pandya joined Rahul in the middle, and the pair continued to score runs freely, reaching 80/1 at the halfway mark. Rahul completed his half-century as LSG reached 100 in the 14th over. However, the wicket of Krunal Pandya, followed by Nicholas Pooran’s dismissal, increased the panic levels for LSG.
With 17 runs required off the final two overs, GT’s bowlers took advantage of the pressure on the LSG batsmen. In a dramatic turnaround, Mohit Sharma dismissed Rahul and Marcus Stoinis to secure the victory for Titans by 7 runs.
Earlier, GT won the toss and opted to bat first. Debutant Noor Ahmad replaced Alzarri Joseph in the playing eleven. LSG found early success, with Shubman Gill being caught by Ravi Bishnoi in the second over off Krunal Pandya’s bowling.
The exciting match showcased some exceptional performances from both teams. But it was GT’s day. They will be thrilled to have secured the victory and will be hoping to build on this success in the coming matches.
(With inputs from agency)
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