In a high-scoring IPL clash on Sunday, Jason Holder took centre stage with 4-24 from his four overs in a sensational pace assault as Gujarat Titans edged out Punjab Kings by four wickets.
Hosts Gujarat restricted top of the table Punjab to 47-5 after pace spearhead Mohammed Siraj struck twice in the first over of their innings, Sandeep Sharma (22) adding some respectability with a late order blitz as they scraped 163-9 in Ahmedabad.
Gujarat’s pursuit also faced regular wickets but opener Sai Sudharsan scored 57 and Washington Sundar registered an undefeated 40 off 23 balls to seal the match with one ball left in hand.
Needing 11 to win from the final over, left-handed batter Sundar held his nerve and hit a straight six off Marcus Stoinis on the second-to-last delivery.
Gujarat, led by Shubman Gill, is in fifth place with 12 points along with four other teams in the 10-team table.
In what was just their second loss of the season, Punjab under Shreyas Iyer remain on top with 13 points.
Playoffs to be held between top four teams from the league stage
After the rain, Punjab tried to defend their modest total as impact substitute Vijaykumar Vyshak (2-30) claimed Yorkshire’s second wicket in a tight first half of the innings by bowling Jos Buttler (25) and left-handed Sudharsan himself in successive overs.
Sundar withstood the bluster of disciplined bowling and solid fielding even as Gujarat slowed down their chase
Siraj had earlier rocked Punjab early on with twin strikes in his second over, including the wicket of Cooper Connolly caught behind without scoring.
The inclusion of West Indies pace bowler Holder as the side’s third seamer could trouble Punjab after Siraj’s new-ball partner Kagiso Rabada dismissed Prabhsimran Singh (15).
Nehal Wadhera was dismissed by Holder and Iyer too followed him but Marcus Stoinis (40) along with Suryansh Hedge started a resilient partnership of 79 off 44 deliveries.
Shedge was in impressive form, scoring a quickfire 29-ball innings which featured three fours and five sixes as he combined well with Australia’s Stoinis.
Marco Jansen chipped in with 20 to take the total beyond 150 but that was never going to be enough on an Ahmedabad track where Gujarat know how to win.