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‘Getting Out to Krunal Would Have Pinched Me More Had We Lost’-Hardik Pandya

March 29, 2022
Bharat Times

Gujarat Titans’ captain Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya made an impact as a captain leading Gujarat to a five wicket win.

  • Last Updated:March 29, 2022, 00:06 IST
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Rahul Tewatia blasted an impactful 40 off 24 balls after Mohammad Shami’s sensational new ball spell to set up a five-wicket win for Gujarat Titans against Lucknow Super Giants in the battle of IPL debutants here on Monday. Deepak Hooda (55 off 41 balls) and Ayush Badoni (54 off 41 balls) smashed quick-fire half centuries to help Super Giants recover to a respectable 158/6 after Shami (3/25) blew away their top-order. Needing 68 off the last 30 balls, Titans were up against it but Tewatia (40 not out), David Miller (30 off 21) and IPL debutant Abhinav Manohar (15 not out off 7) pulled off a memorable win for their team with two balls to spare. In pursuit of 159, Gujarat were down and out at 78/4 before Miller and Tewatia forged a match-winning 60 run-stand off just 34 balls.

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Meanwhile skipper Hardik Pandya also played his part in this chase starting off with three boundaries initially making an instant impact as a pure batter. He further said he would bat at four as he wants to take up pressure.

“This was the right game for us to be on either side and learn, but have learnt a lot by winning. Shami is known for his seam positions and he got us to a great start. We would have any day taken 160 on this wicket. Mostly I’ll bat at number four, because I want to take pressure with my experience so that the others can play freely. We want to win as a team and nobody can take the contribution away from anyway. It was quite humid as well, so I wouldn’t have finished Shami’s spell over there. Manohar is some talent to look at with the talent he has. He is someone who you are going to hear about in the future. Tewatia was sensational as well. Getting out to Krunal would have pinched me more had we lost, but now the family is neutral and happy. He got me out and we won the match,” he said at the post match presentation.

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