Prasidh’s four-for, Gill-Buttler fifties power Titans past LSG

Prasidh's four-for, Gill-Buttler fifties power Titans past LSG

Back-to-back half-centuries from Jos Buttler and Shubman Gill, following a four-wicket haul from Prasidh Krishna, helped Gujarat Titans win their second successive game as they inflicted a convincing seven-wicket defeat on hosts Lucknow Super Giants. Prasidh's miserly 4 for 28 ensured LSG lost wickets at regular intervals. After losing Sai Sudharsan early, Gill and Buttler combined to resurrect the chase, which the visitors comfortably completed with eight balls to spare.

Brief scores: Lucknow Super Giants 164/8 in 20 overs [Aiden Markram 30 (21); Prasidh Krishna 4-28, Ashok Sharma 2-32] lost to Gujarat Titans 165/3 in 18.4 overs [Jos Buttler 60 (37), Shubman Gill 56 (40)] by 7 wickets.

None of LSG's top-order batters converted their starts. Aiden Markram (30 off 21), Mitch Marsh (11 off 4), and skipper Rishabh Pant (18 off 11) all fell after settling in. Nicholas Pooran and Abdul Samad were uncharacteristically slow. The team had lower-order cameos to thank for a respectable 160+ total.

Another Mukul Choudhary special?
Not really. He did slam a six and a four in his brief stay, but it was a collaborative effort from the LSG lower order, which fought till the last, collecting 44 in the final three overs.

Shubman Gill, after getting his eye in, took on Mohd. Shami for a 20-run fifth over of the Powerplay. His knock ended soon after a 34-ball fifty, but the 84-run stand with Buttler ensured GT were well on course.

Jos Buttler continued his good form with a second successive fifty this season. He got a life on 12 when Pant dropped a tough chance and never looked back. Buttler kept finding regular boundaries through the middle overs and later reached a 29-ball half-century—his 100th in T20 cricket.

A fragile middle-order?
Titans did lose both set half-centurions in the space of six deliveries when they still needed 30 off 26 balls. However, Washington Sundar and Rahul Tewatia combined to guide their team home with an unbeaten 30-run partnership in just 18 balls.

What's next?
Titans head home to face KKR on Friday. LSG travel to Bengaluru to face RCB on Wednesday.