GT chased down the target of 164 with one ball to spare.
GT’s pace trio of Jason Holder (4/24), Kagiso Rabada (2/22), and Mohammed Siraj (2/28) delivered stunning spells to restrict PBKS to 163/9 in 20 overs.
During the run chase, Sai Sudharsan set the foundation with a 41-ball 57, but once he fell, PBKS bounced back into the game. The match went to the final over with GT needing three to win off two balls when Washington Sundar (40* off 23) smashed a six to seal the win.
Speaking during the post-match presentation, the Titans skipper Shubman Gill mentioned that the challenging, slower-paced wicket necessitated taking the game deep to secure the win, rather than a quick finish.
“I think in chases like these, we would have liked to not take it as deep as it went but two crucial points. This is not the kind of wicket where we'll chase in 15-16 overs. So we thought maybe one over before or a couple of overs before. That was the talk,” Gill said.
Gill noted that length balls were not coming on as expected, making it vital for set batters to remain until the final overs. He praised Sundar for soaking the pressure and finishing the game.
“If someone is set they should go deep because it's not easy to hit from ball 1. Length balls weren't coming the way they do on other wickets. It was important for the batsman who is set.. luckily we had Washi and he finished the game for us,” he added.
Regarding the batting order, Shubman Gill said they sent in the best-suited batters for that scenario.
“Just sent the best batter that we thought in that situation (about sending left-handers one after the other),” he concluded.
The win pushed Gujarat Titans to the fifth spot, while table-toppers Punjab Kings suffered their second straight defeat.