Jaipur, Apr 10 (PTI) Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill stressed that the target was always within their grasp even though they seemed down and out at one stage before pulling off a three-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals in the IPL here on Wednesday.
Titans needed as much as 73 runs off the last 30 balls but came back from nowhere to pull off a last-ball thriller. “We were targeting 45 in three overs and that is very much gettable, and that was the mindset,” said Gill during the post-match presentation.
“Mathematically, it is like both batters need to score 9-ball 22 runs or so and if one of the batters goes berserk, it will get over 2-3 balls prior.
“When GT is playing, don’t think that (we have left ourselves too much to do),” he quipped.
Asked if the Impact Player rule brought this change to mindset, Gill said: “It does make a difference if you have an extra batter. But it is just the mindset to make it easier and simpler.” Gill was the top scorer for GT with a 44-ball 72.
“I would have loved to finish the game but very happy with the way Rashid bhai and Rahul bhai finished the game.
“Last game also, we dominated more than 50% but our bad phases were very bad. Winning the game off the last ball is a wonderful feeling. He (Rashid) is such a fantastic player, someone you always want in your team.” His counterpart Sanju Samson said the bowlers should have won the game for them as 196 was a good total.
“Very hard to speak at the moment… Have to give credit to the Gujarat Titans. That’s the beauty of this tournament. Will have to learn and move on.
“While I was batting I thought something around 180 would’ve been a fighting score. 196 was a winning score I thought. With no dew, our bowling lineup should’ve done it. It wasn’t easy to go hard at the start of the innings. 197 at Jaipur, without dew, we’ll take it any day.” Rashid Khan was adjudged the player of the match award for his one for 18 with the ball and a 11-ball 24 not out, which included the winning four in the 20th over.
The star Afghanistan spinner, who had undergone a lower-back surgery in November last year, said it was pleasing to get his mojo back.
“Happy that I landed the ball where I wanted today and that gave me energy with the bat as well maybe,” he said.
“I haven’t bowled much in the last 3-4 months after the surgery and I just lost a bit of grip on the ball and I had a good session after the last game and it really helped me to get back to my best.
“I really enjoyed my bowling today. It was just a matter of hitting 3-4 sixes and you need to stay positive.” PTI ATK BS BS
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