The two newbies of IPL 2022 Gujarat Titans (GT) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) clashed for the second time this season on Tuesday (May 10) at MCA Stadium in Pune. The Titans won the toss and chose to bat first.
The Hardik Pandya-led team scored 144/4 in 20 overs owing to Shubhman Gill's laborious 63* off 49 balls and vital knocks from David Miller (26 off 24 balls) and Rahul Tewatia (22* off 16 balls).
In reply, LSG lost three wickets in the powerplay overs itself and owing to Rashid Khan’s fabulous 4-wicket haul (4/24 in 3.5 overs), the chasing team found itself stumbling at 65/6 in the 12th over.
Jason Holder came out to bat at number 8 but was dismissed on the second ball by Rashid, who later said that Holder’s wicket was a crucial one.
“The wicket I got of Jason Holder, that was a very crucial wicket at that time. We knew he's someone who can take the game away. So his wicket is something, I had planned to bowl that leggie from the middle stump and I was expecting it to go to slip, but the leg before was something. That wicket I enjoyed a lot," the leggie said.
The Super Giants eventually suffered a huge 62-run loss and the Gujarat franchise became the first team to officially qualify for the IPL 2022 playoffs.
SEE ALSO: Cricket fraternity reacts as GT decimate LSG by 62 runs to secure their place in playoffs
The Afghanistan cricketer admitted that he was struggling with his line and length because of which he wasn’t able to pick up a whole lot of wickets. But on Tuesday he registered his career-best figures in IPL by achieving his first 4-wicket haul.
"I think those couple of games which didn't go well, it was all about my line and length. That was something I was missing in those games. The kind of pace I bowl and action I have, I cannot afford to lose my line and length and that was something I missed in two or three games.”
“It was all about focusing on hitting the right area. The wicket was helping today and there was bounce and turn but overall it was just about my length,” he stated further.
GT vice-captain also lauded the pace quartet of Mohammad Shami, Yash Dayal, Hardik Pandya, and Alzarri Joseph for bowling exceptionally well in the powerplay, allowing the team to put immense pressure on the opposition.
“They have given us a platform. Shami the way he bowled, Yash, Hardik, and Joseph. I think the way they bowled in the powerplay, they gave us a kind of platform where we can come and put the pressure up and up. In a score like 140-145, you always need to have a good powerplay and that was something the seamers gave us today,” he stated.
(INDIA TODAY INPUTS)
