The top-ranked and third-ranked teams, who were also last season’s finalists, displayed their prowess in today’s match, exemplifying why they hold those positions on the points table. The game was a classic cricket showdown, where the adage “cricket is the real winner” couldn’t be more appropriate.
The match, held at Ahmedabad, was a battle between two heavyweight teams, with each delivering powerful blows and counterattacks. Ultimately, it was Hetmyer who landed the final, decisive blow.
The chase began with an impressive display of swing bowling, evoking memories of an overcast morning at Lord’s, courtesy of Pandya and Shami. Together, they managed to take down Jaiswal and Buttler for just one run.
Padikkal led RR’s counter-attack with some impressive sixes during the powerplay, but he was dismissed by Rashid soon after the timeout. Despite a disappointing performance from Riyan Parag, skipper Sanju Samson rose to the occasion. He took on Rashid, who had been the main wicket-taker, and responded with three consecutive sixes.
Meanwhile, Shimron Hetmyer demonstrated his prowess as a finisher by taking on Alzarri Joseph. GT introduced the mystery spinner Noor Ahmed, who managed to dismiss Samson, but RR maintained their relentless fight, with Dhruv Jurel and Hetmyer keeping up the momentum. In the final over, bowled by Shami, every ball was a story in itself. In the end, Hetmyer’s shot over cow corner secured the victory for RR, finally putting them ahead of Gujarat.