Captain Pandya's magical night takes GT to top

The Gujarat Titans (GT) defeated the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the twenty-fourth game of the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL). The match was played in the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. Hardik Pandya was adjudged to be the Man of the Match.

Titans have a shaky start

With Trent Boult absent due to a niggle, Royals' bowling attack was led by James Neesham. Matthew Wade took advantage of this by hitting three fours, two off full deliveries on either side of the wicket and one off a short, wide delivery.

When Shubman Gill poked one towards cover for a quick single, Rassie van der Dussen sprinted in, swooped low, and nailed the direct hit at the striker's end, the Royals had Wade quite short.

Vijay Shankar was caught behind by Sanju Samson, but Hardik Pandya took on, slamming three consecutive fours in the fifth over.

Samson attempted to sneak in an over from Riyan Parag as soon as the powerplay expired. Pandya greeted him with a six before Gill dragged him to the square leg boundary for four. When Gill became too greedy, Parag had the last laugh.

Titans resurrected by Pandya-Manohar partnership

The Royals appeared to be in command at 53/3 in the seventh over. The next four overs only yielded 24 runs. Pandya and Abhinav Manohar, on the other hand, pressed the accelerator pedal. Manohar smacked Yuzvendra Chahal for a four and a six in the 13th over. Kuldeep Sen let away three fours in the 14th over, the second of which brought Pandya's fifty off 33 balls.

Ravichandran Ashwin was also punished. Pandya rocketed him for two sixes in a row. After allowing another six, Chahal eliminated Manohar for a 28-ball 43, setting the stage for David Miller. Miller hammered Sen for three fours and a six. Pandya then hit Prasidh Krishna for a six and a four in the final over.

Buttler's show

In the first over of the chase, Jos Buttler got the Royals off to a flying start, smashing Mohammed Shami for three fours. Yash Dayal, a left-arm seamer who was making his IPL debut, was up next. Buttler smashed him over fine leg for two fours and a six. Dayal, on the other hand, replied by getting Devdutt Padikkal at slip for a first-ball duck.

Buttler got stuck into Dayal again after a quiet third over, this time smashing him for three fours and a six. Buttler had scored 48 of the 49 runs the Royals had on the board after four overs.

Ferguson shifts the balance of power

Rashid Khan was launched for a straight six by Ashwin, who was promoted to No. 3. Lockie Ferguson, on the other hand, returned him for a run-a-ball 8 after a great, low catch by Miller at cover. Buttler slid across and assisted Ferguson over fine leg for a six four balls later, bringing up his fifty off just 23 balls. Ferguson hit again, this time with a slower yorker to castle him. After the powerplay, the Royals were down 65-3.

Sanju Samson's was sent back thanks to yet another outstanding effort of fielding. The batter blasted one to mid-off for a fast single, but it was no match for Pandya's direct hit. Rassie van der Dussen edged Dayal behind after three boundary-less overs, leaving the Royals 90 for 5 in the 11th over.

Shimron Hetmyer attempted to keep the chase alive by hitting Shami for a six and a four in the same over before holing out to long-on. With Parag and Neesham at the crease, the Royals needed 76 runs in the last seven overs. Ferguson, on the other hand, returned in the 16th over to dismiss Parag. Pandya had Neesham caught and bowled with a slower ball two overs later to all but seal the game.