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Punjab Kings pulled off a thrilling three-wicket victory over the mighty Gujarat Titans in a run-fest at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Chasing a daunting 200-run target set by GT, PBKS rode on an unbeaten 61 off 29 balls by Shashank Singh and a quickfire 31 off 17 from Ashutosh Sharma to complete the second-highest successful chase in IPL history against GT. Shubman Gill’s sparkling 89* had powered GT to 199/4, but PBKS held their nerve in the final over to overhaul the target with 1 ball to spare in an absolute run-riot.
Gujarat Titans Post Mammoth 199/4 Against Punjab Kings
After losing the toss and being asked to bat first, Gujarat Titans got off to a steady start with openers Wriddhiman Saha (11) and Shubman Gill (89* off 48) putting on 29 runs in the first three overs. However, Saha was dismissed by Kagiso Rabada, bringing captain Shubman Gill and Kane Williamson (26 off 22) together.
The duo added 40 runs for the second wicket, with Gill particularly aggressive, hitting 6 fours and 4 sixes in his unbeaten knock. Sai Sudharsan (33 off 19) and Rahul Tewatia (23* off 8) provided the late impetus, helping GT post a mammoth 199/4 in their 20 overs.
For PBKS, Rabada and Harshal Patel picked up 2 wickets each, but they were taken for plenty of runs as GT batters seized the initiative. Harpreet Brar and Arshdeep Singh also bowled economical spells, but couldn’t contain the GT onslaught.
Punjab Kings’ Record Chase Floors Gujarat Titans
Chasing a daunting 200-run target set by Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings got off to a disastrous start as they lost Shikhar Dhawan (1) in the very first over. However, Jonny Bairstow (22 off 13) and Prabhsimran Singh (35 off 24) revived the innings with a 48-run stand for the second wicket.
Despite the early setbacks, PBKS maintained a brisk scoring rate, with Shashank Singh (61* off 29) and Ashutosh Sharma (31 off 17) providing the much-needed impetus. Noor Ahmad’s double-strike to dismiss Bairstow and Prabhsimran had momentarily put the brakes on PBKS’ chase, but Shashank and Ashutosh kept them in the hunt.
In a tense final over, Shashank held his nerve to guide PBKS home with 3 wickets in hand and 1 ball to spare, completing the second-highest successful chase against the mighty Gujarat Titans. This was also the sixth instance of a team chasing down a 200+ target in IPL History.
For GT, Umesh Yadav, Noor Ahmad, Azmatullah, Mohit Sharma and Rashid Khan picked up a wicket each, but their bowlers struggled to contain the PBKS batters on the flat Ahmedabad track.
For a memorable match winning innings, Shashank Singh wins the Player of the Match award 🏆#TATAIPL | #GTvPBKS pic.twitter.com/HsgFzDsI8b
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 4, 2024
IPL 2024 Points Table After PBKS’ Thrilling Win Over GT
| Teams | M | W | L | T | NR | Pts | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | +2.518 |
| Rajasthan Royals | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | +1.249 |
| Chennai Super Kings | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | +0.976 |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | +0.483 |
| Punjab Kings | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -0.220 |
| Gujarat Titans | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -0.580 |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +0.204 |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -0.876 |
| Delhi Capitals | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1.347 |
| Mumbai Indians | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.423 |
The thrilling victory over Gujarat Titans has propelled Punjab Kings to the 5th spot on the IPL 2024 points table. Their successful chase of 200 runs, has boosted their net run rate to -0.220, while the defeat has seen the Gujarat Titans slip to 6th position. KKR and RR remain the only unbeaten teams so far, occupying the top two spots. The points table is taking shape with some close battles expected in the coming weeks as teams jostle for the IPL 2024 playoff spots.
IPL 2024: Kolkata Knight Riders’ Dominant Performance Leaves Delhi Capitals Reeling
