IPL 2023: Rahul’s 68 in vain as Mohit Sharma’s final over heroics helps GT beat LSG by seven runs in thriller

Gujarat Giants snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat as they beat Lucknow Super Giants by five runs in a thriller. Chasing a target of 136, LSG were in control most of the time but choked in the end with four wickets coming off the last over including skipper KL Rahul who scored 68 off 61.

GT’s Mohit Sharma bowled the last over with LSG needing 12 off it but the bowler took two consecutive wickets and the next two balls saw a run out as LSG could manage only four runs.

LSG were sailing after a flying start by their openers KL Rahul and Kyle Mayers as the duo scored 53 in the powerplay itself. Titans’ ace bowler Rashid Khan then took out Mayers in the first over after the powerplay for 55 with Mayers scoring 24 off 19 balls.

Rahul then joined forces with Krunal Pandya as the duo added 51 runs for the second wicket and at halfway mark had 80 runs for one wicket. LSG’s second wicket was lost on 106 runs in 15th over with Pandya succumbing to Noor Ahmed. Rahul, meanwhile, completed his 50 and also became the fastest Indian to score 7000 runs T20 runs.

There were jitters after Pooran also got out shortly after Krunal Pandya’s wicket but skipper Rahul held his nerves only to get out on 19.2 over. Marcus Stoinis fell next ball on a duck and Ayush Badoni followed thanks to a run out. Deepak Hooda followed the suit on the next ball, again run out as LSG managed 128/7 in 20 overs.

Earlier, GT won the toss and elected to bat first but had a horrible start with star opener Shubman Gill, as predicted correctly by presenter Akash Chopra, got out cheaply – on a duck to be precise. Saha and Pandya then added 68 runs for the second wicket but after the quick wickets of Saha and Manohar, GT couldn’t get going. 

Hardik Pandya eventually scored 66 off 50 as he helped his team to posts a respectable score of 135/6 in 20 overs. Apart from him, Wriddhiman Saha scored 47 off 37 but none other batman could create much of an impact. 

Pandya stayed on one end but kept losing partners at the other end in Vijay Shankar (10 off 12) and David Miller (6 off 12). For LSG, Krunal Pandya took 2/16 in his four overs while Marcus Stoinis took 2/20 in three overs he bowled. Apart from them, Naveen and Mishra also chipped in with a wicket each.

 

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