Hardik and Mohit lead Gujarat to a thrilling win over Lucknow

Captain Hardik Pandya’s restrained and aggressive half-century innings and experienced bowler Mohit Sharma’s amazing last over helped Gujarat Titans register a thrilling seven-run win over Lucknow Supergiants in the Indian Premier League (IPL) here on Saturday. Hardik Pandya scored 66 runs in 50 balls with the help of two fours and four sixes. Apart from him, opener Wriddhiman Saha played an inning of 47 runs in 37 balls which included six fours. Despite this, Gujarat was able to score only 135 runs for six wickets.

Despite a good start for Lucknow, this score also became big due to poor batting in the last over and his team could only manage 128 runs for seven wickets in the end. Captain KL Rahul from his side scored 68 off 61 balls which included eight fours. He meanwhile shared half-century partnerships with Kyle Myers (24 off 19 balls) and Krunal Pandya (23 off 23 balls). Lucknow needed 35 runs in the last 36 balls but the Gujarat bowlers did not allow their batsmen to play freely by bowling tightly. Mohit Sharma took two wickets for 17 runs while Noor Ahmed took two wickets for 18 runs.

Mohit had to defend 12 runs in the last over and conceded only four runs. Lucknow had a chance to top the points table with this win but now have eight points from seven matches. Gujarat registered its fourth win and has eight points from six matches. Lucknow also had a slow start and Mohammed Shami’s first over of the innings went maiden. Thereafter, however, Rahul and Myers dominated and put on 55 runs for the first wicket, of which 53 came in the powerplay. Rahul hit Shami for three consecutive fours in the next over and then welcomed Rashid Khan with two fours. Myers also hit a six in this over but was bowled by the same leg-spinner in his next over.

Rahul completed his half-century off 38 balls. Meanwhile, he also completed 7000 runs in T20 cricket. Krunal hit Rahul Tewatia for a six but was stumped in the next over by left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmed (2 for 18). Rahul and Krunal shared a 51-run partnership for the second wicket. Noor Ahmed then sent Nicholas Pooran (one run off seven balls) to the pavilion. Batsmen were finding it difficult to play long shots, which Gujarat bowlers took full advantage of. Lucknow needed 17 runs in the last two overs. Shami gave only five runs in the 19th over.

In the 20th over of Mohit Sharma, Lucknow lost four consecutive wickets. Mohit dismissed Rahul and Marcus Stoinis while Ayush Badoni and Deepak Hooda were run out. Electing to bat first after winning the toss, Gujarat did not start well and lost the wicket of in-form Shubman Gill in the second over itself, who could not even open the account. Gill took a simple catch at mid-off by playing the ball of left-arm spinner Krunal (2 wickets for 16 runs) in an inflexible manner. Hardik, who came in to replace him, also struggled to score runs initially but at the other end, Saha hit some attractive fours as Gujarat scored 40 runs in the powerplay.

Hardik faced the 18th ball and hit the first four and then in the same over of leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi also got the first six of the innings. But Saha could not complete his half-century. He took a straight catch at long on in Krunal’s second spell. Saha and Hardik added 68 runs in 55 balls for the second wicket. As Gujarat struggled to score runs, leg-spinner Amit Mishra (1/9 in two overs) dismissed Abhinav Manohar (3) while medium pacer Naveen-ul-Haq (1/19 ) bowled veteran Vijay Shankar (10). Hardik was at the crease but the ball was longing to reach the boundary line. Alam was that Gujarat’s score reached triple digits in the 17th over.

After this, Hardik showed his real attitude and his target was Bishnoi, on whom he hit fours and two sixes in consecutive balls. On the first of these sixes, he completed his half-century off 44 balls. Hardik hit a six in the final over of the innings before being caught at long-on by Stoinis (2 for 20 in three overs). Where other Lucknow bowlers bowled economically, Bishnoi proved to be expensive. He gave 49 runs in four overs.