CHENNAI: Shubman Gill led from the front with a sensational 89 not out as Gujarat Titans finished with 199/4 against Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Put into bat first, Titans started off well with Gill lofting Harpreet Brar down the ground for a six in the very first over. Wriddhiman Saha, too, clipped Arshdeep Singh to get things going as Titans were going at 10 runs per over. That is when Saha got a leading edge off Kagiso Rabada, leaving Gill with Kane Williamson.
Both known for their strokeplay rather than hitting, Williamson and Gill kept the scoreboard moving without many big hits. While the Titans skipper maintained a healthy strike rate, Williamson took some time to settle in as they finished the powerplay with 52/1.
After a couple of quiet overs, Williamson got out for 26 runs from 22 balls. Joined by B Sai Sudharsan, Gill continued the momentum. The left-hander, often known to play the anchor, was proactive with his strokes, going after Sikandar Raza and Sam Curran. In Raza's second over, they put the foot down and hit the Zimbabwe all-rounder for 14 runs. Rabada, too, was not spared as both Gill and Sai Sudharsan hit him down the ground.
When it looked like both would get to their respective fifties, Sai Sudharsan got out to Harshal Patel for a 19-ball 33. Gill, however, brought up his first half century of the season in 31 balls. Despite a tidy 16th over from Arshdeep, Gill unleashed an onslaught against Harshal smacking him down the ground for the six. When Rabada came back, Gill welcomed him with a tonk over the cow corner and then slapped the pacer down the ground for a four.
Vijay Shankar got out, but Rahul Tewatia sent Harshal into the stands on the second ball he faced. He managed to get only one more boundary in the over, but hit the last two balls of the innings from Arshdeep to the ropes. Gill was left with a 48-ball 89 at the other end as Titans finished with 199/4.