This wasn’t the slugfest that may have made your Sunday. It was removed from it as Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans battled out in a contest, the place each have been removed from their greatest. What ought to have been a routine chase, was made sophisticated by Gujarat’s misfiring batting unit. As one after the opposite saved leaving the job for others, it appeared as if Punjab have been profitable a sport out of nowhere. However enter Rahul Tewatia. He got here in a rush to place an finish card to this sport on the earliest and he succeeded absolutely.
Rahul Tewatia the person once more who’s on the ending line guiding them house 😎
Gujarat Titans have come up on 🔝 in Mullanpur with a scientific efficiency and have settled their scores with #PBKS 🙌
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/avVO2pCwJO#TATAIPL | #PBKSvGT | @gujarat_titans pic.twitter.com/h8BiuB7UVT
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 21, 2024
Probably not lacking
The absence of Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow on the high might be a blessing in disguise for Punjab Kings. With Ashutosh Sharma, Shashank Singh and Jitesh Sharma able to offering fireworks within the middle-order and being in-form gamers, Punjab have been in a position to push Sam Curran and Prabhsimran Singh to the highest. They aren’t the tallest, however are very efficient T20 batsmen, who can tear aside assaults. It’s what Prabhsimran did with aplomb within the powerplay, giving Punjab the sort of begin they desperately wanted. It was a night the place he once more didn’t convert the pinnacle begin he had, however three sixes and as many boundaries was ok for Gujarat Titans to make use of Rashid Khan within the powerplay.
5 star critiques or dangerous umpiring
A few of the DRS referrals have been pushed purely out of desperation this IPL. There have additionally been circumstances the place groups have wasted a possibility to assessment. However hardly ever has a staff obtained issues completely proper. When Gujarat Titans despatched a not out resolution in opposition to Rilee Rossouw off Noor Ahmad upstairs, it appeared a daring name. However inside seconds, it could find yourself proving a wonderful name because it was as plumb because it might get because it put one other on-field name beneath the lens. Then within the subsequent over, because the umpire turned down a LBW name in opposition to Curran off Rashid Khan, Gujarat sought a referral. And it turned out to be one other error from the on-field umpire as Gujarat broke Punjab’s again.
Light-weight Kings
It speaks of the dearth of firepower within the Punjab Kings high order that stand-in skipper Sam Curran needed to step into the opener’s slot for the sport in opposition to Gujarat Titans. His associate Prabhsimran Singh is enterprising however received’t scare too many bowling assaults. He had some pleasure in opposition to the faster bowlers, but it surely was by no means going to final lengthy. Not that Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow have been setting the world on hearth. Their international batting recruits Rilee Rossouw and Liam Livingstone are but to win them any video games, and the English and South African gamers have been discovered wanting in opposition to the wiles of Afghan wrist-spinners Noor Ahmad and Rashid Khan. Punjab Kings’ greatest gamers are their designated finishers Ashutosh Sharma and Shashank Singh, however with their high order hardly giving them any kind of platform, their batting exploits, most of the time, go in useless. Some groups are within the improper half of the desk as a result of underperformance, Punjab Kings don’t appear to have the sources and infrequently appear overmatched when it comes to firepower.
Uninspiring efficiency
After their one-run heartbreak at Eden Gardens, Royal Challengers Bengaluru have fallen out of playoff rivalry, for all intents and functions. Punjab Kings appear to be getting in the identical route. Their top-order batting is devoid of inspiration. Indian batsmen are thought of to be good gamers of spin; the truth that Punjab Kings don’t have any marquee native batting expertise on the high is hurting them large time. It places all of the onus on their international recruits, who aren’t having a good time with the bat, and the finisher duo of Ashutosh Sharma and Shashank Singh. However it’s not doable for them to carry out the rescue act each time, as was seen at Mullanpur on Sunday. The truth that there don’t appear to be too many viable choices on the bench to show issues round level to a botched job on the public sale desk as properly. The franchise appears to be in a perennial restructuring and rebooting course of, which by no means offers a settled and robust impression. Gujarat Titans, who have been blown away by Delhi Capitals – one other backside half staff – of their final sport – have been made to look fairly spectacular by the shoddy hosts.
All types excellent bowling
Left-arm wrist-spinner, right-arm wrist-spinner, left-arm orthodox, right-arm off-spin….this was Gujarat’s spin mixture for the day. And it was these 4, who inflicted all of the harm on Punjab Kings. Such selection within the ranks means, it turns into a nightmare for any batting unit to neutralize match-ups. And the worst half was, after Noor Ahmad and Rashid Khan, Punjab had no respite as Sai Kishore got here on and took 4 wickets.
Self-belief or inexplicable transfer?
A glimpse into the muddled pondering among the many Punjab Kings line-up might be seen by the inexplicable resolution by Harpreet Singh turning down singles within the twentieth over. He was the designated Influence Participant after the hosts’ batting order crumbled in opposition to what might be described as some disciplined bowling from Gujarat Titans. However Harpreet wasn’t making any desired impression for his staff. He was 12 from 15 going into the ultimate over with Punjab Kings eight down. They have been quickly 9 down with Harshal Patel caught on the boundary. Final man Kagiso Rabada has been recognized for a couple of large hits in his time. Then again, Harpreet hadn’t managed to search out the boundary even as soon as. What he was pondering when he turned down singles on the fourth and fifth balls of the twentieth over bowled by Mohit Sharma solely Harpreet would know. If he had some immense self-belief of hitting the ultimate ball into the stands, it didn’t come to fruition. It was mistimed to the onside and Harpreet was run out coming again for the second run after scoring a 19-ball 14.
Spins them each methods
Liam Livingstone is what you name an entire T20 package deal. An influence-hitter with the bat, who can hit the ball lengthy and clear within the V. Even with the ball, he’s a tempting possibility for a captain. Can bowl off-spin in addition to leg-spin relying on who’s on strike and the circumstances. Right here, with Gujarat going rigorously within the chase, he offered two breakthroughs. First up he eliminated Shubman Gill with a properly tossed up leg-spin. With no tempo on it, it’s a supply, many batsmen have fallen prey to and Gill was no exception. Then in a while in his third over, he eliminated David Miller together with his off-spin, with the ball skidding on. Out of nowhere on a sluggish pitch and with large boundaries in play, Livingstone obtained Punjab going.