IPL 2022, GT vs LSG: Gujarat Titans lord over Lucknow Super Giants, become first team to enter playoffs

Gujarat Titans. On paper, they may not look to be the strongest side, but they've pulled several rabbits out of their hat in the 2022 IPL. Whenever a loss has seemed to be imminent, the Titans have found some player or the other raise his hand and lead them to victory. Rahul Tewatia, David Miller and Rashid Khan have done it with the bat on more than one occasion; on Tuesday, Rashid the bowler did the star turn for the Titans against Lucknow Super Giants at the MCA International Stadium in Pune. AS IT HAPPENED | SCORECARD | POINTS TABLEJust recently, Brian Lara, the current batting coach of Rashid's former team Sunrisers Hyderabad, had said that Rashid "isn't much of a wicket-taker and only restricts runs". The wizard from Afghanistan must have made Lara chew his words with a magical 4/24 performance that led Titans to a facile 62-run win, while defending a modest 144/4. Rashid found an able spin partner in left-arm orthodox R Sai Kishore (2/7), as Super Giants were bowled out for only 82. With Gujarat clinching the battle of the table-toppers, the Hardik Pandya-led side became the first team to enter the playoffs in this year's IPL.

If the spinners did the trick for Gujarat, the Lucknow pacemen put on a show in the first innings of the game. The ball was set rolling by left-arm fast bowler Mohsin Khan; Dushmantha Chameera made sure there was no let-up; Avesh Khan got the wickets in the middle phase; in the end, Jason Holder ensured there was no massive flourish from the Gujarat batters. Mohsin, one of the finds of this year's IPL, bowled the first over and could've got the wickets of both openers. The very first ball saw Wriddhiman Saha poke at an away going delivery, and the ball landed just in front of the first