DT
PT
Subscribe To Print Edition About The Tribune Code Of Ethics Download App Advertise with us Classifieds
search-icon-img
search-icon-img
Advertisement

Siraj shines as Gujarat Titans win by 8 wickets

Once the Titans decided to bowl first, they would not have envisioned such a domination over a potent batting line-up even considering the rather unexpected slow and grippy pitch
  • fb
  • twitter
  • whatsapp
  • whatsapp
featured-img featured-img
Bengaluru: Gujarat Titans' Ishant Sharma celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's captain Rajat Patidar during an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans, at M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak) (PTI04_02_2025_000437B)
Advertisement

Gujarat Titans defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by eight wickets in an IPL match here.

Earlier, an impeccable Mohammed Siraj led a group of fired-up Gujarat Titans bowlers as they limited the vaunted batting unit of Royal Challengers Bengaluru to 169 for eight despite a providential 54 by Liam Livingstone

Once the Titans decided to bowl first, they would not have envisioned such a domination over a potent batting line-up even considering the rather unexpected slow and grippy pitch.

Advertisement

The slip-down started with the wicket of Virat Kohli (7), who began with a lovely cover driven four off Siraj (4-0-19-3).

But the ace batter fell to left-arm seamer Arshad Khan, who came in for Kagiso Rabada, attempting a pull that ended in the hands of Prasidh Krishna at fine leg.

Advertisement

Thereafter the RCB top-order was poleaxed by GT bowlers led by Siraj, who joined the side after a seven-season stint in the red and gold jersey.

Phil Salt, who was dropped on zero by Jos Buttler off Siraj, skipper Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal paraded back to the hut as RCB slumped to 42 for four in 6.2 overs.

However, Salt and Devdutt might feel a tinge of regret because both tried to give space to themselves for big shots to get castled by Siraj.

Perhaps, a bit of restraint could have earned them a longer life-span in the middle.

However, the Royal Challengers found some stability through Jitesh Sharma (33, 21b) and Livingstone (54, 40b, 1x4, 5x6) as they added 52 runs off 38 balls for the fifth wicket.

The impressive left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore (2/22), who varied his line and pace exemplarily, broke the alliance, dismissing Jitesh, who skied him to Rahul Tewatia.

It was a redemption point for Tewatia as well because he had earlier dropped Livingstone on 9 off Sai Kishore.

It proved costly for GT as the English batter hammered Rashid Khan for three sixes in an over, two in a row, to reach his fifty in 39 balls.

Livingstone milked 46 precious runs for the seventh wicket with Tim David to take RCB past the 150-run mark.

David's 18-ball 32 (3x4, 2x6) gave the home side some fuel in the death overs.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
tlbr_img1 Home tlbr_img2 Opinion tlbr_img3 Classifieds tlbr_img4 Videos tlbr_img5 E-Paper