Punjab Kings defeat Gujarat Titans by 11 runs

KATHMANDU: Punjab Kings made a winning start in the Indian Premier League (IPL), defeating Gujarat Titans by 11 runs.

Chasing a target of 244 runs, Gujarat managed to score 232 runs for the loss of 5 wickets. While the top order gave a strong start, the middle order couldn’t carry the momentum forward. Sai Sudharsan and captain Shubman Gill shared a 61-run partnership for the first wicket.

Shubman Gill was dismissed for 33 runs off 14 balls, hitting 2 fours and 3 sixes. Sudharsan and Jos Buttler, who came in at number 3, both scored half-centuries, sharing an 84-run partnership for the second wicket.

Sudharsan was the top scorer with 74 runs off 41 balls, hitting 5 fours and 6 sixes. Buttler contributed 54 runs off 33 balls, including 4 fours and 2 sixes.

In the later stages, Sherfane Rutherford made a quick-fire 46 runs off 28 balls, with 4 fours and 3 sixes. However, other batters failed to make significant contributions.

Punjab’s Arshdeep Singh took 2 wickets, while Marco Jansen and Glenn Maxwell claimed 1 wicket each.

Earlier, Punjab, batting first after losing the toss, scored a massive 243/5 in their 20 overs. Captain Shreyas Iyer, in his IPL debut as a player and captain, top-scored with 97 runs. He faced 42 balls, hitting 5 fours and 9 sixes, falling just 3 runs short of his maiden IPL century.

Iyer shared an unbroken 81-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Shanshak Singh, who remained not out on 44 runs off 16 balls, hitting 6 fours and 2 sixes. Marcus Stoinis scored 20 runs off 15 balls, including 1 four and 2 sixes, before being dismissed.

Punjab’s opening batter, Priyans Arya, also made an impact on his IPL debut, scoring 47 runs off 23 balls, including 7 fours and 2 sixes, before being dismissed. Glenn Maxwell was out on the first ball, while Ajmatullah Umarzai added 16 runs.

For Gujarat, Sai Kishore took 3 wickets, while Rashid Khan and Kashiso Rabada claimed 1 wicket each.