IPL 2022, GT vs KKR: Pandya and co produce all-round performance to tame Kolkata; Twitter rejoices
On Saturday, Gujarat Titans beat Kolkata Knight Riders by eight runs in IPL 2022. Hardik Pandya and co inflicted KKR's fourth successive defeat, while fans rejoiced in GT's victory.
FollowIt was another thriller that ended up breaking the heart of former two-time champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) against new side Gujarat Titans (GT) in Match 35 of the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL). Played at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Saturday, KKR fell short by eight runs, thanks to the all-round domination by Hardik Pandya and co. Meanwhile, the GT fans were in a rejoicing mood.
Winning the toss, GT opted to bat, as it lost opener Shubman Gill (7) early, in the second over of the powerplay, off pacer Tim Southee, with just eight runs on the board. However, fellow opener Wirddhiman Saha (25) and Pandya (67) put on a 75-run partnership for the second wicket before pacer Umesh Yadav dismissed the former in the 11th. It hardly made a difference, as Pandya and David Miller (27) added 50 more for the third wicket before the latter departed to pacer Shivam Mavi in the 17th, at 133.
FULL SCORECARD: IPL 2022 - KKR vs GT (Match 35)
However, things went haywire thereon for GT. The next over, after five runs, Pandya was sent back by pacer Tim Southee after scoring his seventh IPL half-century. After that, GT lost wickets in a heap, while the final over off pacer Andre Russell turned out to be dramatic, as he bagged four wickets, with Rinku Singh claiming three catches in the over to restrict GT to a par total of 156/9.
For KKR, Russell claimed four, while he was also the most economical of all. In reply, KKR was off to a nervous start, losing three wickets within the fifth over of the PP and going down to 34/3 by the seventh. Then, Rinku Singh (35) and Venkatesh Iyer (17) added 45 for the fifth wicket before pacer Yash Dayal got rid of the former in the 13th.
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While it was 108/7 in the 16th, Russell (48) and Umesh Yadav (15) added 37 for the eighth, and the equation was 18 needed off the last over. However, Russell fell in the over to pacer Alzarri Joseph after Lockie Ferguson scaled a screaming catch, as KKR fell short by eight runs. For GT, seamer Mohammed Shami, Dayal and leg-spinner Rashid Khan claimed a couple, while the former was the most economical.
Brief scores: GT 156/9 (Pandya- 67; Russell- 4/5; Southee- 3/24) defeats KKR 148/8 (Rinku- 35, Russell- 48; Shami- 2/20) by eight runs.
