Gujarat Titans were 108-5 after 15 overs when they were chasing 170 runs against Chennai Super Kings at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on Sunday. The Titans needed 62 runs off the last 30 balls and thus CSK had their noses in front.
However, David Miller scored an unbeaten knock of 94 runs whereas GT stand-in captain Rashid Khan scored 21-ball 40 to help them get over the line in a thrilling game. Miller and Khan added 70 runs for the sixth wicket alliance and they were able to bail their team out of the jail when they were stuttering at 87-5 after 12.4 overs.
CSK captain Ravindra Jadeja admitted that they couldn’t execute their plans in the last five overs. Chris Jordan was given the onus in the death overs but he couldn’t hit the right line and length.
GT needed 48 runs off the last three overs and Jordan was smashed for 25 runs in the 18th over by Rashid Khan as he scored three sixes and one four in the game-changing over. Jordan was taken for 58 runs in 3.5 overs he bowled, which is the second most expensive spell for CSK in the IPL history.
Ravindra Jadeja said in the post-match presentation, “We started brilliantly, as a bowling unit we did well in the first 6 overs. When we were batting, the wicket was holding up a bit. The ball was gripping, but we didn’t execute our plans in the last 5 overs. I thought CJ could execute his yorkers, but he couldn’t do so. That’s the beauty of T20 cricket.”
On the other hand, Abhinav Manohar, who has impressed while playing for Gujarat Titans, heaped praise on David Miller for playing a match-winning knock of 94 runs. Miller kept the Titans in the game as he batted at the top of his game.
Manohar said after the game, “Miller played a blinder, and so did Rashid. I was sitting in the same place, I didn’t move. It was a great team effort today. Lots of pressure for Rashid today, he bowled well. There is no pressure from the management, I just want to go out there and express myself, so I am enjoying myself.”
Gujarat Titans also climbed to the top of the points table after their fifth win of the season. The Titans will next face Kolkata Knight Riders at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy, Mumbai on Saturday.
