A last-ball thriller was clinched by Gujarat Titans helped by two consecutive sixes from RAHUL TEWATIA off Punjab Kings’ Odean Smith when 12 were needed off the last 2 balls has now kept the Titans the only unbeaten team in the tournament. Hardik Pandya’s side now has three wins in as many games.
19 were needed off the last over in the chase of 190. A wide was followed by Hardik Pandya’s run out dismissal. Miller hit a four on the fourth ball and the equation was brought down to 12 from the last two balls – then Tewatia happened, once again consigning Punjab to a game that seemed in their bag as he mowed Odean for two sixes over deep mid-wicket.
After losing Matthew Wade early in the chase, Shubman Gill smashed his second consecutive fifty of the tournament in a brilliant stand of 101 runs from 68 balls with young debutant Sai Sudharsan.
However, the pair slowed down. Sudharsan (35 off 30) was dismissed, bringing in skipper Pandya, who scored 27 off 18 but got run out in the last over. Gill, after looking a million dollars for most of his innings, wasn’t able to find boundaries in the death overs and finally got out for 96 runs off 59 balls.
Losing two set batters in Gill and Pandya almost proved detrimental for the Titans, but Miller and Tewatia came through for them to keep their unbeaten run alive.
Earlier, it was the Liam Livingstone show with the bat for PBKS. The Englishman thumped his consecutive half-century, scoring 64 runs off just 27 balls. Dhawan scored 35, Jitesh Sharma made 23, while tailender Rahul Chahar scored 22* to take PBKS to 189, which skipper Mayank Agarwal felt were 5-7 runs short, proved correct by the Tewatia show in the end.
Since it was a last-ball cliff-hanger, another memorable Tewatia show, a classy knock from Shubman Gill, again – Tewatia doing a Tewatia , it was pandemonium on social media as fans went crazy over this chaotic finish to a cricket game. The IPL 2022 needed it after reporting a drop in viewership numbers.
Here are some of the best reactions on Twitter after this nail-biter contest:
Something don’t change. Punjab remain heartbreak kings.
— Sambit Bal (@sambitbal) April 8, 2022
#PBKSvGT
PBKS rn: pic.twitter.com/joR2OzzG5t— رومانا (@RomanaRaza) April 8, 2022
Waah Lord Tewatia,….
Need his statue in Punjab Kings dugout.
What a brainfade by Smith to concede a overthrow with 13 needed of 2. #PBKSvGT— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) April 8, 2022
Rahul Tewatia clearly has some personal issues with Punjab Kings. ?#PBKSvGT
— Prajakta (@18prajakta) April 8, 2022
He has done it again!!! What a finish. Rahul Tewatia – Do not forget the name!! #PBKSvGT
— Moulin (@Moulinparikh) April 8, 2022
You got to be kidding me! Tewatia you beasttttt…how does he keep doing it in these games.#PBKSvGT
— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) April 8, 2022
you gotta be kidding me – Rahul Tewatia you freakin beauty!! what an outrageous cricketer, makes your jaw-drop every now and then..#PBKSvsGT #IPL2022
— Jatin Khandelwal (@jr_khandelwal) April 8, 2022
And the relationship continues..#GTvsPBKS|#tewatia pic.twitter.com/TP0KwjNpyL
— Tributer(fb ?) (@kingkohli27) April 8, 2022
#Tewatia was not a fluke ?? pic.twitter.com/DHup5w8cO1
— Cricket wala ladka (@cricketwalaldka) April 8, 2022
punjab kings fans watching #tewatia snatching victory from their mouth #GTvsPBKS pic.twitter.com/7yc7bQL1K3
— ABINASH KATOCH ॐ (@_Katoch_) April 8, 2022
Rahul tewatia saw cottrell in odeon smith
#GTvsPBKS #tewatia pic.twitter.com/J2ZBlB24xa— Nitesh Sharma (@Nitesh27062000) April 8, 2022
Crucial overthrow from Odean on 4th ball, gave extra run & brought Tewatia on strike. Baffled not to see a single Yorker in 20th over by Odean. Well done to @gujarat_titans, Super knock from @ShubmanGill and @rahultewatia02 just ice cool under pressure ?? #PBKSvGT #IPL2022
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) April 8, 2022
