Fine rearguard knocks by Rahul Tewatia and David Miller, who shared an unbeaten partnership of 79 runs for the fifth wicket, helped Gujarat Titans beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by six wickets in Match 43 of IPL 2022 at the Brabourne Stadium here on Saturday.
Tewatia scored an unbeaten 42 while Miller remained not out with 39 as Gujarat came back strongly to score 174/4 in 19.3 overs after restricting Royal Challengers Bangalore to 170/6 in their 20 overs.
Electing to bat first on a scorching hot day in their first-afternoon match, Royal Challengers rode on half-centuries by Virat Kohli (58) and Rajit Patidar (52) to reach a modest total.
Gujarat at one time looked in trouble after losing Wriddhiman Saha, Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, and Sai Sudharshan with 95 runs on the board.
But Tewatia and Miller ensured that they did not lose any further wickets and romped to a six-wicket for their eighth win in nine matches. Gujarat thus moved to 16 points from nine matches and extended their lead at the top of the standings to four points.
RCB remained at the fifth position, with 10 points from 10 games.
Gujarat Titans ended the power-play with 46 runs for no loss on the board with Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill keeping up a decent scoring rate.
Saha, who struck Mohammed Siraj for two fours in an over, was the first to get out, caught by Rajat Patidar off a wrong-un bowled by Wanindu Hasaranga with the score 51.
Gill was the next to go, given lbw off Shahbaz Ahmed, missing the ball completely. He reviews the decision but the video replays show no involvement of the bat.
Skipper Hardik Pandya also had an off day as he tried to whip away a full-length delivery by Shahbaz but could offer only the bottom edge and sent it straight down the throat of Mahipal Lamror. And when Sai Sudarshan too departed after getting a start, caught by substitute Anuj Rawat (20), who was keeping wickets in place of Dinesh Karthik who was ill, it looked like Gujarat was slipping into a deep gorge.
However, David Miller and Rahul Tewatia came to the rescue of Gujarat Titans as they raised a superb unbeaten 79-run partnership for the fifth wicket and guided the team from Ahmedabad home with six wickets in hand.
Miller struck Hasaranga for a four followed by a six in the 15th over and cracked a brilliant cover drive off a cutter on good length by Harshal Patel.
Tewatia too had started cautiously before exploding into action towards the end of the innings. He hammered a six and a four on successive balls off Josh Hazlewood in the 18th over — the six a superb flick over fine-leg — and ended the over with another four, placing the ball between two fielders around a deep square leg boundary.
Tewatia, who struck Harshal Patel over extra cover for a superb six, ended the match with fours off Hazlewood in the 20th over. Their unbeaten partnership of 79 runs came off 40 balls and propelled Gujarat Titans to their eighth victory in nine matches.
Kohli, former India, and Royal Challengers captain who was advised by former team India coach Ravi Shastri to take a break from IPL to revitalize his batting, gave glimpses of a welcome return to form as he struck a fine half-century and raised 99 runs for the second wicket partnership with Rajat Patidar, who struck 52 off 32 deliveries as the two set up a good platform for RCB.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bangalore 170/6 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 58, Rajat Patidar 52, Glenn Maxwell 33; Pradeep Sangwan 2/19, Rashid Khan 1/29) lost to Gujarat Titans 174/4 off 19.3 overs (David Miller 39 not out, Rahul Tewatia 43 not out; Wanindu Hasaranga 2/28). Gujarat Titans won by six wickets.
