Shami-led Titans bowling attack thwarts Russell-powered Knight Riders

For 34 games, no captain dared. But on Saturday afternoon, Hardik Pandya opted to bat first under sunny skies against Kolkata Knight Riders, and though it was rocky for large parts in a seesaw affair, Gujarat Titans got the two points they needed and got back their spot at the summit of the IPL 2022 points table.

After putting up 156, which seemed around 20 too few at the halfway stage, Titans needed early Knight Riders wickets. Mohammed Shami, Yash Dayal and Lockie Ferguson picked off four in 6.1 overs, and that ensured Titans got home to an eight-run win despite a late 25-ball 48 from Andre Russell.

Russell's six sixes had dragged Knight Riders to a scenario where they needed 18 off the final over with the allrounder on strike to Alzarri Joseph. When he hit a six off the first ball, a Knight Riders win was a realistic possibility. But a stunning Ferguson catch at the deep square-leg boundary off a Joseph bouncer Russell couldn't connect well with sent him back and completely deflated the Knight Riders challenge.

Southee, Hardik impress under the sun
Among Knight Riders' three changes for the game was Tim Southee in place of the expensive Pat Cummins. He struck with his first ball when a loosener down the leg side was edged behind by Shubman Gill in the second over. Wriddhiman Saha struggled to find fluency, and Hardik walked in at No. 3, the highest position he has ever batted at for Titans.

Hardik led the charge from one end in half-century stands with Saha and No. 4 David Miller, and reached his half-century in 36 balls - completing a hat-trick of fifties in the process - and looked set to change gears for a big flourish at the death. But he fell in the 18th over.

It was Southee in his return spell who dismissed Hardik, bowling an offcutter that Hardik pulled to the boundary rider Rinku Singh. Not long after, Rashid Khan was caught trying to pull Southee too, and the quick finished with 3 for 24.

Russell's four-wicket over
Even though Varun Chakravarthy returned better figures (none for 26 in three overs) than he had in previous games, Shreyas Iyer did not go to him for his fourth over. Instead, with the 20th to be bowled and Titans at 151 for 5, Shreyas turned to Russell.

And Russell proceeded to take the wickets of Abhinav Manohar, Ferguson and Rahul Tewatia - all caught by Rinku on the longer square boundary to the right-handers' leg side - and ended the innings with a diving caught-and-bowled dismissal off Dayal to finish with a four-for in just six balls. His over not only ensured a tame finish for Titans, but the momentum, too, was with Knight Riders.

Titans pacers in complete control
It was the fourth opening pair for Knight Riders in IPL 2022, with Sam Billings - who replaced Aaron Finch [out with a niggle] - opening with Sunil Narine. But both openers were dismissed by Shami in his new-ball burst.

Billings lasted just four balls, as Shami's bouncer had him slicing a catch to Saha in the first over of the chase. Narine was then discomfited by a barrage of short-pitched deliveries, and when Shami offered him a length ball, Narine could only whip the ball to the fielder at short fine-leg.

The score of 10 for 2 would soon become 16 for 3 when Ferguson's around-the-wicket angle had Nitish Rana caught behind, and Knight Riders were looking at a massive defeat when Shreyas Iyer was the fourth man gone - caught behind again, this time off Dayal's left-arm angle - with the scoreboard reading 34 four 4.

Rinku and Russell push back
Venkatesh Iyer walked in at No. 6 and in Rinku's company, they started to build a partnership. Rashid's first spell was seen off carefully, and Rinku found the occasional boundary to move to 35 with four fours and a six.

With eight overs to go, Knight Riders needed 77, but Dayal had Rinku caught behind in his return spell, quite against the run of play. That brought Russell in at No. 7, and he started off by ending Dayal's over with back-to-back sixes.

At the end of the over, the Knight Riders dugout was spotted instructing Venkatesh to hang around with Russell, but he failed to do the job, slogging out to deep midwicket trying to play Rashid against the turn. Next over, Rashid picked off Shivam Mavi, and finished with 2 for 22.

With 45 needed off four overs, Titans had four seamers with one over each in hand. Hardik went for experience first, giving the 16th to Shami and the 17th to Ferguson, which went for a combined 16 runs. The 19th from Dayal went for 11, and the first ball of the 20th from Joseph did go for a six, but Russell's dismissal next ball ensured that Hardik's decision at the toss gave them the result they wanted.