Hardik loses cool, throws cold stare at Shami after Ashwin smashes GT pacer for 4, 6 off back-to-back balls
Rajasthan Royals produced a brilliant performance on Sunday night to inflict a second defeat on Gujarat Titans in the 2023 Indian Premier League.
RR bounced back in style in the 178-run chase; the side was reeling at 55/4 in the 11th over when Sanju Samson (60 off 32 balls) laid the foundation of the chase while Shimron Hetmyer (56* off 26 balls) steered the Royals to an important win in Ahmedabad.
The cherry on top of the cake, however, was Ravichandran Ashwin’s three-ball cameo in the penultimate over of Royals’ chase. After Mohammed Shami had picked the important wicket of Dhruv Jurel (18), Royals needed 17 runs off 10 deliveries when Ashwin smashed the GT star for successive boundaries.
Ashwin began with a four off a short-of-a-length delivery, as he went deep into the crease and cut it brilliantly behind square. On the very next ball, Ashwin took the aerial route, as he pulled another short-pitched delivery over the deep midwicket boundary for a six. GT captain Hardik Pandya had a stunned expression on his face as Ashwin took Shami to the cleaners; while he looked visibly annoyed and screamed in anger towards the GT pacer after the four, Hardik had a resigned look on his face following the six from Ashwin.
Shami eventually dismissed Ashwin off the next delivery but it was too little, too late for GT; thanks to his 10-run cameo, the runs required were down to 7 off as many deliveries. Shimron Hetmyer eventually finished the game in the second delivery of the final over with a colossal six towards deep midwicket.
This was Royals’ fourth win of the 2023 season that further strengthened the side at the top of the table. The Titans, meanwhile, remain third; they have three wins in five matches. Interestingly, this was Royals’ first win against Hardik Pandya’s men in their fourth attempt.
Both sides had met in the playoffs as well as the final last year, with GT registering comprehensive victories in both games.