Tata IPL 2024 Match 17, GT Vs PBKS – Match Report

April 5, 2024

In an exhilarating conclusion at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Punjab Kings (PBKS) made a triumphant return to form in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Facing a challenging total of 199 set by the home team Gujarat Titans (GT), PBKS appeared to be on the back foot initially.

Nonetheless, showcasing the spirit of the IPL as a breeding ground for emerging talent, Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma delivered a remarkable performance that led PBKS to a thrilling three-wicket win, leaving a lasting impression on their fellow players and supporters alike.

Shikhar Dhawan, the captain of PBKS, won the toss and decided to bowl first. Both teams had to make a substitution due to injury worries: Sikandar Raza stepped in for Liam Livingstone in the PBKS lineup, while Kane Williamson replaced David Miller in the opposing team.

GT’s innings revolved around their skipper Shubman Gill, who remained undefeated with a score of 89 off 48 deliveries on a pitch where he excels in batting. This performance brought back memories of the 2023 season when he notched two of his three TATA IPL centuries at this very ground. His innings was a display of sheer class, starting from the moment he struck Harpreet Brar for a six in the opening over to the final over, showcasing consistent elegance throughout.

The highlight of Gill’s innings was a superb straight loft for six over Kagiso Rabada’s head in the 13th over, demonstrating exceptional balance, poise, and class. Gill progressed into the 80s by the 18th over and was within reach of a century but was deprived of the strike during the final over, preventing him from reaching the milestone.

After Wriddhiman Saha’s early dismissal for 11 runs, Gill found support from Kane Williamson (26 off 22 balls) and Sai Sudharsan (33 off 19 balls). Williamson, making his season debut for GT, showcased his batting prowess in the TATA IPL for the first time. He looked settled with some elegant boundaries but was eventually dismissed by Harpreet Brar in the ninth over.

Sai Sudharsan’s valuable cameo boosted GT’s scoring rate during the middle overs. His six boundaries in just 19 balls accelerated the innings, and his energy also inspired Gill at the crease. Sudharsan’s dismissal came while attempting an upper-cut shot, and he voluntarily walked back to the pavilion before the umpire made a decision.

Initially, GT aimed for a score of 200, but there was a moment when it seemed distant. However, thanks to Rahul Tewatia’s creative innings of 23 runs off eight balls towards the end, GT reached a total of 199. Tewatia showcased his inventiveness with a wristy flick for six over square leg and a sweep off Harshal Patel for four in the 19th over.

PBKS began their chase impressively, with Jonny Bairstow hitting three boundaries in the opening over delivered by Azmatullah Omarzai. However, GT made a comeback when Umesh Yadav took a wicket with his first delivery in the second over, dismissing Shikhar Dhawan who inside-edged the ball onto his stumps while attempting a cut shot.

Bairstow and Prabhsimran initiated a partial recovery with some aggressive strokes, with Prabhsimran showcasing his dominance. However, their partnership was disrupted when Noor Ahmad bowled a beautiful delivery that sneaked between Bairstow’s bat and pad, dismissing him.

Noor made another breakthrough, removing the dangerous Prabhsimran for 35 runs. PBKS faced challenges during the middle overs as GT kept taking wickets at regular intervals. The momentum shifted when Shashank Singh entered the fray, injecting aggression and attempting to control the required run rate. Jitesh Sharma added impetus by hitting two sixes in the 16th over. However, he was dismissed while trying for a third six towards mid-wicket.

In the final four overs, PBKS required 47 runs to win. Mohit Sharma bowled an excellent over, giving away only 16 runs. Under mounting pressure, PBKS’ Impact Player Ashutosh Sharma revived their chances by hitting three boundaries off Omarzai. At the same time, Shashank accelerated to his fifty from just 25 deliveries.

Needing 25 runs, Mohit returned for the penultimate over but conceded 18 runs as Ashutosh and Shashank continued their relentless batting. Shashank’s six over mid-wicket off the last ball of the over reduced the required runs to seven for the final over.

Darshan Nalkande was entrusted with the last over, and on his first delivery, he had Ashutosh (31 off 17 balls) caught at long-on. With five runs required from three balls, Shashank (61 off 29 balls) got an outside edge that raced to the boundary for four runs over third man. A leg-bye on the following ball secured the victory for PBKS. The crucial 43-run partnership between Ashutosh and Shashank proved to be the deciding factor in the match for the visiting team.

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