MUMBAI, India, CMC – Alzarri Joseph’s Gujarat Titans beat Nicholas Pooran’s Sunrisers Hyderabad in a last-ball thriller at the Wankhede Stadium yesterday, to march to their fourth straight win and back to the top of the Indian Premier League standings.
Incidentally, Titans’ last defeat was at the hands of Sunrisers nearly three weeks ago but they turned the tables this time around, successfully chasing 196 for their seventh win in eight outings.
They started the final over requiring 22 for victory and Rahul Tewatia (40 not out) swatted the first delivery for six and stole a single off the second ball, to reduce the target.
Rashid Khan (31 not out), better known for his mesmerising leg-spin then, clattered three of the next four deliveries for sixes in a sensational end to the contest.
The left-handed Pooran had earlier failed with three as Sunrisers rallied to 195 for six off their 20 overs after being sent in. Opener Abhishek Sharma top-scored with 65 off 42 deliveries, lashing half-dozen fours and three sixes in a 96-run, third wicket stand with South African Aiden Markram who punched 56 off 40 balls with two fours and three sixes.
Together, they pulled the innings around from 44 for two in the fifth over and eventually fell as part of a slide that saw four wickets tumble for 22 runs off 19 deliveries.
Pooran was fourth out in the 17th over, drilling a Mohammed Shami (3-39) half-volley to long on.
In the previous over, fast bowler Joseph (1-35) removed Abhishek, getting the 21-year-old left-hander to play on to a slower ball. The Antiguan then produced a superb bit of athleticism to run out Washington Sundar off his own bowling in the 19th over which yielded only nine runs.
In reply, opener Wriddhiman Saha struck a pulsating 68 from 38 deliveries with 11 fours and a six, putting on 69 for the first wicket with Shubman Gill (22) and 37 for the third wicket with David Miller (17).
When three wickets went down for 18 runs off 17 balls, the game seemed to be turning in Sunrisers’ favour but Rashid Khan and Tewatia collaborated in an unbroken 59-run, sixth wicket stand to avert danger for their side.
Titans lead the standings with 14 points, two clear of Rajasthan Royals with Sunrisers, Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore all perched on ten points.
