Gujarat got off to a terrific start with the bat as their openers added 142 in 12.1 overs. Wriddhiman Saha was the accelerator in the partnership, smashing 81 in only 43 balls. His splendid knock featured 10 fours and four sixes. It needed a brilliant catch by Prerak Mankad on the boundary off Avesh Khan’s bowling to end Saha’s knock.
Gill took over after Saha’s exit and ensured the run rate did not fall. He returned unbeaten on 94 off 51 balls. The 23-year-old slammed only two fours but clubbed as many as seven sixes. He ran out of deliveries in the end as skipper Hardik Pandya (25 off 15) and David Miller (21 not out off 12) played fine cameos.
In the chase of 228, Kyle Mayers (48 off 32) and Quinton de Kock (70 off 41) added 88 in 8.2 overs. Mayers hit seven fours and two sixes before a sensational catch by Rashid Khan off Mohit Sharma’s bowling ended his stay at the crease. Deepak Hooda failed again. He perished to Mohammed Shami for a run-a-ball 11, looking for a big hit.
Marcus Stoinis (4) also fell cheaply after which Rashid bowled De Kock. The LSG keeper-batter’s knock included seven fours and three sixes. Nicholas Pooran was the next to go for 3, falling to the guile of Noor Ahmad as Lucknow lost half their side for 153. Ayush Badoni chipped in with 21, but Mohit claimed two more wickets to finish with 4/29.
Speaking about the win, GT skipper Hardik said, “I can't ask anything more from the boys. The way the game changed after that (Rashid's catch), at one point I thought the game was even stevens and that catch was match-changing.
On the competition with brother Krunal, he added, “My love towards him is very strong, I won't be bragging. It would have been nice if it was a little tighter and we had won, he could have also had some bragging rights.”
--By A Cricket Correspondent