IPL 2022: Gujarat Titans stop Russell Mania to clinch top spot again in points table

Gujarat Titans (GT), when they won the toss and opted to bat first against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), surely got all worried with the decision, as in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, most of the teams were looking to chase. However, Hardik Pandya had too much confidence in his bowlers and they proved him right as they won by 8 runs.

Last night, Rajasthan Royals (RR) had dethroned them to the top spot, but Gujarat made sure to take their top spot back and again lead the points table. As for KKR, they sit in the seventh position.

After Gujarat skipper, Hardik Pandya smashed another half-century and guided his team to 156/9, the score looked chase-able and Rinku Singh (35 off 28) and Andre Russell (48 off 25) almost gave KKR the desired victory, but the GT bowlers made sure to restrict them.

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Every Gujarat bowler took wickets. Mohammed Shami, Yash Dayal and Rashid Khan took two wickets each while Alzarri Joseph and Lockie Ferguson had one each.

Earlier, Hardik Pandya played a skipper knock of 67 off 49 balls while David Miller played a handy inning of 27 for Gujarat Titans. For KKR, Tim Southee scalped three wickets while Shivam Mavi and Umesh Yadav bagged one each. Andre Russell who bowled the last over for GT scalped 4 wickets.

Choosing to bat first, Gujarat had a decent start as their score read 47 runs with the loss of one wicket. Returning Tim Southee removed Shubman Gill on the very ball of the second over. Kiwi bowled a good length ball to which Shubman Gill attempted to nudge the ball that went away from the pads and straight to the keeper.

Wriddhiman Saha and Hardik Pandya then steadied the ship for Gujarat but the opener wasn’t able to make the mark as he was removed in the 11th over by Umesh Pandya off 25 runs. Runs kept clocking for Titans but it was at a very slow pace.

The third half-century on the trot for the Gujarat skipper came in the 12th over. Pandya then stitched a 50-run partnership with David Miller. The half-century partnership came to an end in the 17th over off Shivam Dube. David Miller tried to slap the cutter straight down the ground, but the ball hit the top edge and went directly to the point fielder.

Southee then removed dangerous-looking all-rounder Hardik Pandya and Rashid Khan in the 18th over to derail Gujarat’s late charge. Four wickets then fell in the final over of Andre Russell and a total of six in the last 17 balls – it was a crashlanding of sorts from Gujarat Titans.