Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper Hardik Pandya made some questionable bowling changes in their side’s defeat to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Ahmedabad on Sunday. These bowling changes probably cost them the game as the Royals pulled off an incredible chase with three wickets in hand.
At one stage, GT were right on top with RR needing a staggering 112 runs from 48 balls. However, Sanju Samson launched a counter-attack first, and then it was the turn of Shimron Hetmyer to show why he is rated highly as a finisher.
Despite having two overs of Mohit Sharma up his sleeve, Hardik Pandya decided to give the final over to spinner Noor Ahmed and that proved to be a wrong move. Fans on Twitter trolled Hardik and the GT management for not backing Mohit, who had conceded just 7 runs in his two overs and was supposed to be their death-overs specialist.
Here are some of the reactions:
Sanju Samson’s RR finally managed to defeat Hardik Pandya’s GT in the IPL
Last year, RR lost all their three games to GT, including the final and would have been hungry to prove a point. The visitors got off to a horrible start to their chase, having already lost two wickets for just four runs inside three overs.
However, captain Sanju Samson then joined Devdutt Padikkal at the crease as the duo gradually began to up the ante. Samson took Rashid Khan to the cleaners and it felt like he would take the game away from Gujarat.
While Samson was dismissed by debutant Noor Ahmed, Shimron Hetmyer held his nerve until the end and ensured Rajasthan got over the line in the final over. Hardik Pandya and Co. may now look back at their decision not to bowl Mohit Sharma at the death.