Ferguson’s 4/28 with Gill’s 84 helps Titans show DC their 1st season loss

Lockie Ferguson of New Zealand took four wickets for 28 runs in a spectacular show of pace and accuracy after Shubman Gill’s immaculate 84 to help Gujarat Titans beat Delhi Capitals by 14 runs and claim their second consecutive win in their inaugural IPL season here on Saturday.

Ferguson, who cost Rs 10 crore in the IPL auction, dismissed dangerous opener Prithvi Shaw (10), Mandeep Singh (18), skipper Rishabh Pant (43 off 29 balls), and Axar Patel (8) to derail DC’s 172-run chase.

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Veteran pacer Mohammed Shami (2/30) contributed two late wickets to inflict DC its first defeat in the tournament, as they finished on 157 for nine.

Titans skipper Hardik Pandya took his first wicket, dismissing DC opener Tim Seifert (3), while Rashid Khan (1/30) also contributed by dismissing Shardul Thakur.

DC got off to a shaky start, losing opener Seifert in the second over. Ferguson then shattered DC’s batting with two wickets in the fifth over — Shaw and Mandeep — as the Titans surged ahead.

However, DC skipper Pant and Lalit Yadav (25), who had played a key role in DC’s previous match victory, resurrected the chase with a 61-run standoff in 6.5 overs for the fourth wicket.

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In the 12th over, Lalit was run out in dramatic fashion. One bail had gone off early due to Vijay Shankar’s foot coming into touch with the stumps from a toss by Abhinav Manohar at the bowler’s end.

As Lalit plunged at full stretch, Shankar dislodged the other bail. Pant had a conversation with the umpires, but Lalit had to walk away.

Once Pant went out following a spirited inning, DC’s task of chasing down the target became increasingly tough. With only four wickets remaining, they needed 46 runs from the final five overs.

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Shami removed Rovman Powell (20) and Khaleel Ahmed (0) in a two-wicket burst in the 18th over to effectively destroy DC’s hopes. Earlier, after being summoned to bat, Gill hit an immaculate 84 off 46 balls, his highest T20 score, to rocket the Titans to 171 for six.

Gill, who hit six boundaries and four sixes during his spectacular innings, and captain Pandya (31) resurrected the Titans’ innings with a 65-run third-wicket stand after losing Matthew Wade (1) and Shankar (13) cheaply.

Wade was caught off Mustafizur Rahman (3/23) on the third ball of the innings, while Kuldeep Yadav (1/32) fooled Shankar, who went for a slog-sweep only to have his stumps cartwheel.

Gill was in command throughout his innings, making apologies for his cheap dismissal (zero runs) in the previous encounter.

He hit Axar Patel for a six early on and then crushed him for another six in the 16th over.

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In the 15th over, he hit a straight six against Kuldeep. He was finally caught off Ahmed (2/34) in the 18th over, with Patel taking an easy catch at deep midwicket.

Gill and Hardik bowled out the DC bowlers for 7.5 overs, scoring 65 runs within that time after the Titans were 44 for two in the seventh over. Hardik had some time to settle in, but just as he was getting into his stride, he was out, hitting straight to Powell at long-on off Ahmed’s bowling. During his 27-ball outing, the Titans captain hit four home runs.