Rahul Tewatia plays a shot during an IPL match between Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants.
Brilliant efforts by pacer Mohammad Shami and batter Rahul Tewatia helped Gujarat Titans outplay Lucknow Super Giants by five wickets in a clash of two debutants in IPL 2022 at the Wankhede Stadium here on Monday.
Shami, bowling brilliantly and in the channel, claimed three wickets for 10 runs in his first spell that wrecked Lucknow Super Giants' innings. Though they recovered from a precarious 29/4 riding on half-centuries from experienced batter Deepak Hooda (55) and debutant Ayush Badoni (54), the 158/6 they managed in their allotted 20 overs was below-par for this surface and the Gujarat Titans batting. Shami eventually finished with 25/3 from his four overs.
Gujarat Titans too got off to a poor start losing their first two wickets for 15 runs but skipper Hardik Pandya, who chose to field first on winning the toss, struck a 28-ball 33, David Miller scored 30 and Rahul Tewatia blasted a 24-ball 40 to help them start their IPL 2022 campaign with a five-wicket win.
Hardik Pandya put them on course for victory with a 57-run partnership with Matthew Wade (30) and Miller and Tewatia dragged them across the rope with a 60-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Tewatia struck some lusty blows towards the end of the innings as the Titans, needing 20 off the last 12 balls, romped
Brief scores: Lucknow Super Giants 158/6 in 20 overs (Deepak Hooda 55, Ayush Badoni 54, Krunal Pandya 21*; Mohd Shami 3/25, Varun Aaron 2/45) lost to Gujarat Titans 161/5 in 19.4 overs (Matthew Wade 30, Hardik Pandya 33, David Miler 30, Rahul Tewatia 40 not out; Dushmantha Chameera 2/22).
