Sports Desk
24 March
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
In an electrifying showdown at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Gujarat, the Gujarat Giants kicked off their campaign with a thrilling victory over the Mumbai Indians by 7 runs. Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, the Mumbai Indians faced a formidable challenge as the Gujarat Titans posted a competitive total of 168 runs, losing 6 wickets in their allotted 20 overs.
Despite a shaky start in their chase of 169 runs, the Mumbai Indians found hope in the brilliant innings of former captain Rohit Sharma, who notched up 43 runs off 29 balls, laced with 7 fours and 1 six. With 19 runs required off the final over, the tension mounted as Umesh Yadav took the ball for Gujarat.
In a heart-stopping climax, Mumbai’s hopes soared briefly as Captain Pandya smashed a six on the first ball and followed it up with a boundary on the second. However, their dreams were dashed when Pandya fell to Rahul Tewatia’s catch on the third ball, shifting the momentum in Gujarat’s favor. The drama continued as Piyush Chawla was caught out by Rashid Khan on the very first delivery he faced.
In the end, Gujarat’s tight bowling and fielding efforts sealed the victory, marking an exhilarating start to the Indian Premier League season.