IPL 2023: I feel we were 10 runs short – Hardik Pandya after loss against RR

Defending champions Gujarat Titans skipper Hardik Pandya admitted that they were 10 runs short of a par score after suffering a three-wicket loss against Rajasthan Royals at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Sunday.

After Sanju Samson won the toss, GT posted a fighting score of 177-7 on the board. Shubman Gill scored 45 runs from 34 balls whereas David Miller scored 46 runs from 30 balls. In fact, the South African had the rub of the green on his side as he was dropped by Adam Zampa when he was on six.

Abhinav Manohar added the finishing touches for the reigning champions as he scored a fine cameo of 13-ball 27. On the other hand, RR found themselves in a precarious situation in the run-chase as Mohammed Shami and Hardik Pandya struck early to remove Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal respectively.

At the end of the Powerplay overs, RR was 26-2 as batting was difficult with the new ball seaming around. Devdutt Padikkal was dismissed for 26 and then Riyan Parag’s wicket left RR tottering at 55-4 after 10.3 overs.

The required run-rate was creeping up at that stage and Sanju Samson, who got off to a sedate start, changed gears in the middle overs. The RR skipper smashed GT’s pack leader Rashid Khan for three sixes and took 20 runs in the 13th over.

Samson scored 60 runs off 32 balls whereas the finishing touches were added by Shimron Hetmyer, who scored an unbeaten knock of 56 runs from 26 balls to take RR over the line.

Hardik Pandya said in the post-match presentation, “To be honest no (didn’t expect the loss after the powerplay), but that’s the beauty about this game. The game is never over till it’s over, another lesson for us. (Noor Ahmad) He’s someone who’s difficult to pick, got us the big breakthrough but the other bowlers didn’t execute. Body is good, everything is good. It’s a very long tournament. A lot of matches left, we still need to play a lot of group cricket even if we had won today. (On Gujarat’s score) I felt short. After I got out, they bowled a couple of good overs, but we should have gone a little harder and got to 200. We did cover it well but when I was watching from outside, I did feel that we were 10 runs maybe short.”

Gujarat Titans will next take on Lucknow Super Giants at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Saturday.