New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson scalped four wickets for 28 runs in a stunning display of pace and accuracy after Shubman Gill’s imperious 84 to help Gujarat Titans beat Delhi Capitals by 14 runs and register their second consecutive win in their maiden IPL season here on Saturday. Ferguson, who was bought for a whopping Rs 10 crore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, dismissed dangerous opener Prithvi Shaw (10), Mandeep Singh (18), captain Rishabh Pant (43 off 29 balls) and Axar Patel (8) to rock the DC’s run chase of 172.
Veteran pacer Mohammed Shami (2/30) chipped in with two late wickets to hand DC, who finished on 157 for nine, their first defeat in the tournament.
Titans captain Hardik Pandya got his first wicket as he dismissed DC opener Tim Seifert (3) while Rashid Khan (1/30) also chipped in with the scalp of Shardul Thakur.
It was not the best of starts for DC as they lost opener Seifert in the second over. Ferguson then rocked DC’s innings with two wickets in the fifth over — Shaw and Mandeep — as the Titans found themselves in the ascendency.
But DC captain Pant and Lalit Yadav (25), who had played a major role in DC’s win in their previous match, revived the chase with a 61-run stand off 6.5 overs for the fourth wicket.
Lalit was run out in a dramatic fashion in the 12th over. Off a throw by Abhinav Manohar at the bowler’s end, one bail had gone off early due to Vijay Shankar’s foot being in contact with the stumps. Shankar dislodged the other bail as Lalit dived at full stretch.
Pant had a discussion with the umpires, but Lalit had to trudge off.
Once Pant was out after a belligerent innings, it was becoming increasingly difficult for DC to chase down the target. They needed 46 runs from the final five overs with only four wickets remaining.
Thakur was out in the 16th over and then Shami removed Rovman Powell (20) and Khaleel Ahmed (0) in a two-wicket burst in the 18th over to virtually end DC’s hope.
Earlier, Gill struck an imperious 84 off just 46 balls — his highest T20 score — to power the Titans to 171 for six after being asked to bat.
Gill, who struck six boundaries and four sixes during his stunning innings, and captain Pandya (31) revived the Titans innings with a 65-run partnership for the third wicket after they lost Matthew Wade (1) and Shankar (13) cheaply.
Wade was out in the third ball of the innings off Mustafizur Rahman (3/23) while Kuldeep Yadav (1/32) bamboozled Shankar, who went for a slog-sweep only to see his stumps cart-wheeling.
Gill was in imperious form during his knock as he made amends of his cheap dismissal — zero runs — in the previous match.
He hoisted Axar Patel for a six early on and then smashed the same bowler for another maximum in the 16th over.
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His best shot was the straight six off Kuldeep in the 15th over. He was finally out in the 18th over off Ahmed (2/34) with Patel taking an easy catch at deep mid-wicket.
Gill and Hardik denied the DC bowlers any success for 7.5 overs, while adding 65 runs during that crucial period after the Titans were 44 for two in the seventh over. Hardik took time to settle down but just when he was getting into his grooves, he got out, hitting straight to Powell at long-on off the bowling of Ahmed. The Titans captain struck four boundaries during his 27-ball knock.
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