Pune, (Asian independent) Leg-spinner Rashid Khan claimed 4/24 after opener Shubman Gill had struck a fighting unbeaten half-century as Gujarat Titans thrashed Lucknow Super Giants by 62 runs in Match 57 of IPL 2022 and became the first team to qualify for the playoffs here on Tuesday.
Rashid Khan and the Gujarat bowlers got into the act after Gill (63 not out) struck a fighting half-century to help Gujarat Titans reach 144/4 in 20 overs, a score that turned out to be enough on a pitch on which the ball was gripping and coming off slow.
With Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore (2/7) and Yash Dayal (2/24) complimenting Rashid Khan’s efforts and Mohammed Shami bowling a superb opening spell, Lucknow Super Giants were bundled out for 82 in 13.5 overs to slump to their worst defeat of IPL 2022 in terms of runs.
Rashid claimed his first four-fer of IPL 2022 as he sent back Deepak Hooda (27), Krunal Pandya (5), Ayush Badoni (8) and Jason Holder (1) to spearhead a brilliant bowling effort by Gujarat bowlers, who bowled good line and length and struck at regular intervals.
This win took Gujarat Titans to 18 points from 12 matches and they became the first team to qualify for the knock-out stage. Lucknow remain second in the points table with 16 points from 12 games and need to win their next game to secure their place in the playoffs.
The leg-spinner from Afghanistan got into the act after pacers Mohammed Shami, who again got Lucknow skipper and his India teammate K.L Rahul (8) cheaply, and Yash Dayal sent back Quintan de Kock (11) and debutant Karan Sharma (4) to reduce Lucknow Super Giants to 33/3 in 6th over.
Rashid enticed Krunal Pandya and Ayush Badoni to step out of the crease and Wriddhiman Saha got the bails off in a flash to leave the batsmen stranded in no-man’s land. He then bamboozled Jason Holder with a well-disguised leg-break and the West Indies batter just missed it and was rapped on his back leg.
In between Marcus Stoinis was run-out going for a non-existent second run and Lucknow were down to 7-/8. Deepak Hooda, who had held one end up till now, tried to give Rashid the charge in a desperate attempt but his sweep shot ballooned high for keeper Wriddhiman Saha to complete a well-judged catch.
Avesh Khan struck two successive sixes off Rashid Khan before he was given out caught behind on DRS after Saha convinced Hardik Pandya to go to the video umpire, who detected a faint edge.
Lucknow thus slumped to their lowest total of IPL 2022 and the first below-hundred score of the event as Gujarat Titans emerged deserved winners.
Earlier, Gill waged a lone battle as other Gujarat batters found the going tough against a disciplined LSG bowling attack after skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss and chose to bat first. Pandya wanted to test his batters’ ability to set up a good total. Tested they were but while Gill passed that test in flying colours, others failed to rise to the occasion.
With batting on the pitch a bit difficult as the ball was gripping and coming slow off the surface, Gujarat landed in trouble as they lost Wriddhiman Saha and Matthew Wade with 24 runs on the scoreboard. Young left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan bowled a brilliant spell of three overs as he troubled the batters with his line, length, and the angles he created.
Gill struck Chamera for boundaries off successive balls and in the 17th over. He also reverses swept Krunal Pandya for a four and tonked Avesh Khan to the fence in the 10th over.
David Miller and Gill helped Gujarat recover with a 52-run partnership for the fourth wicket. They played cautiously, did not take many risks and dealt mostly in ones and twos. Miller’s two boundaries, a four and a six came off Jason Holder — the four off a short, wide one which was cut with soft hands to beat the sweeper, and the six over extra-cover off a full and wide one that was driven flat over extra-cover.
But Holder had the last laugh as he got Miller with a short, wide, slower one that the batter slashed down the throat of deep third man.
Rahul Tewatia landed a few lusty blows towards the end of the innings, hitting four boundaries in his 16-ball 22 not out as Gujarat reached a below-par score, which however proved more than enough in the end.
Brief scores: Gujarat Titans 144/4 in 20 overs (Shubman Gill 63 not out, David Miller 26, Rahul Tewatia 22 not out; Avesh Khan 2/26) beat Lucknow Super Giants 82 all out in 13.5 overs (Deepak Hooda 27; Rashid Khan 4/24, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore 2/7)
