Kamal Ghorui
Skipper Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler led from the front with fluent half-centuries as Gujarat Titans backed up a superb four-wicket burst from Prasidh Krishna to seal a convincing seven-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL clash in Lucknow on Sunday.Prasidh was the standout with the ball, returning figures of 4 for 24, as GT restricted LSG to 164 for 8 after being put in to bat. The chase was then finished in style as Gill (56) and Buttler (60) stitched a commanding partnership to take Gujarat to 165 for 3 with eight balls remaining.
GT began steadily with Gill and Sai Sudharsan adding 45 runs for the opening wicket off 31 balls. Sudharsan looked in touch early, striking three boundaries, but fell for 15 when he miscued a pull off Digvesh Rathi and was caught by Avesh Khan at fine leg.Jos Buttler survived an early lifeline when LSG captain Rishabh Pant dropped him off Rathi, and the Englishman made them pay soon after. Once settled, Gill and Buttler shifted gears and dominated the middle overs, putting together 85 runs for the second wicket off just 58 deliveries.Gill played a composed yet aggressive knock, striking six fours and a six before falling for 56 when he gloved a short ball from Prince Yadav to Pant while attempting a pull shot. Buttler, meanwhile, was at his attacking best, timing the ball cleanly and punishing anything short or wide.However, Buttler fell for 60 soon after, mistiming a slower ball from Mohammed Shami, which was well caught by Aiden Markram at long-on. By then, GT were firmly in control.Washington Sundar (21 not out) and Rahul Tewatia (10 not out) ensured there were no late hiccups as they guided the side home comfortably.Earlier, LSG’s innings never fully took off despite a quick start from Aiden Markram, who scored 30 off 21 balls with five fours and a six. Mitchell Marsh began explosively with a six and a four off Kagiso Rabada but was dismissed the very next ball for 11, caught by Gill.Rishabh Pant started with a boundary but struggled for fluency before falling to Mohammed Siraj in the fifth over while attempting an ambitious shot, caught by Tewatia.Markram continued to attack, striking Prasidh Krishna for consecutive boundaries, but was dismissed soon after when Washington Sundar took a well-judged catch at cow corner.Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran and Abdul Samad all failed to convert starts. Pooran struck two sixes off Rashid Khan but laboured for 19 off 21 deliveries before falling to Gill.George Linde and Mukul Choudhary offered brief resistance late in the innings, with Linde scoring 16 off 10 and Choudhary making 18 off 14, but regular strikes from GT kept LSG under pressure.Apart from Prasidh’s four-wicket haul, Ashok Sharma chipped in with 2 for 32, while Siraj and Rabada picked up one wicket each, ensuring GT’s bowling unit laid the foundation for a dominant win.
