Pune: The big-hitting David
Miller blazed away to a 51-ball 94 as Gujarat Titans pulled off an incredible
come-from-behind three-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in the IPL here on
Sunday.
Leading the side in the
absence of an injured Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan supported Miller with a
21-ball 40 as GT recovered from 16 for three, and then 48 for four, to seal one
the greatest comebacks in the history of the league.
GT were set a target of 170.
Needing 48 in 18 balls after
an excellent 17th over by Dwayne Bravo, Rashid, inspired by Miller's monster
sixes, hit Chris Jordan for three of his own maximums. GT collected 25 runs
from the over to reduce the equation to a gettable 23 from 12 balls.
More drama awaited the
seesawing battle as Bravo dismissed Rashid and Alzarri Joseph off successive
balls in the penultimate over. Strangely
enough, CSK skipper Ravindra Jadeja handed the ball to the battered Jordan for
the final over, hoping that his experience and ability to wide yorkers would do
the job for the yellow brigade. However, Miller had other ideas as he completed
the job with a ball to spare. In all, Miller smashed eight boundaries and six
sixes, while Rashid had three maximums and two fours to his name during a
match-turning partnership of 70 runs.
Earlier, Ruturaj Gaikwad
finally found form with a 48-ball 73 before Gujarat Titans pulled things back
to stop Chennai Super Kings at 169 for five.
Shubman Gill, who has played a
few influential knocks this season, was out for a golden duck in the first over
before the out-of-sorts Vijay Shankar too joined the former in the dugout.
Wriddhiman Saha's (11 off 18 balls) painstaking stay in the middle was brought
to an end by CSK skipper Ravindra Jadeja as GT slipped to 48 for four in the
eighth over.
But then, Miller and Rashid
joined forces to seal the game in favour of their team.
This was after the Titans
bowlers did exceedingly well in the last six overs, conceding only 45 after a
92-run third-wicket stand between Gaikwad and Ambati Rayudu (46 in 31 balls).
Invited to bat, Gaikwad, who
notched up his maiden IPL fifty of the season, added 92 off just 56 balls with
Rayadu, rallying after CSK were in a spot of bother at 32 for two in the sixth
over.
Gaikwad's knock was studded with five fours and as many sixes as he anchored the innings. (PTI)
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