JAIPUR: Rajasthan Royals’s winning streak came to an end as a spirited Gujarat Titans came up with a sensational last-ball victory chasing 197 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium here on Wednesday.
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The home team was poised to record their fifth successive victory but a late onslaught from Rashid Khan and Rahul Tewatia shattered their hopes. While Rashid remained unbeaten on 24 off 11 balls, Tewatia also played a little cameo (an 11-ball 22) to guide GT to a tense three-wicket victory.There was pindrop silence in the stadium when Rashid whacked Avesh Khan over cover for a boundary when Gujarat needed two off the last ball.Needing 15 off the final over, Rashid Khan hit Avesh for a four and then ran two on the second ball to inch closer to the target. A sharp edge missed the outstretched hands of Sanju Samson as GT needed just 5 off 3. The drama continued as Tewatia was run out on the fifth ball by a smart fielding by Jos Buttler.
In pursuit of a daunting target of 197, GT were off to a steady start. Openers Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan put on 64 for the opening wicket in eight overs. However, the introduction of Kuldeep Sen in the ninth over turned the match on its head.

The 27-year-old struck thrice in his first two overs to derail the GT innings. The tall Madhya Pradesh pacer first trapped Sudharsan (35 off 29 balls) in front and then returned in his second over to strike a double blow. He cleaned up Matthew Wade (4) and Abhinav Manohar (1) in a span of just three deliveries to reduce GT to 79/3.
For the addition of just 15 runs, the GT top-order were cooling their heels in the dug-out. Although Vijay Shankar (16 off 10 balls) and Gill tried hard to resurrect the innings for a brief period, Yuzvendra Chahal castled the former to make matters worse for last year’s runners-up team.

Gill’s 72 off 44 balls kept the interest alive for the packed crowd. Despite the departure of their skipper, Tewatia and Rashid fought hard till the end and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
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Earlier, the in-form Riyan Parag and Sanju Samson scored breezy half-centuries. Barring the Powerplay, it was one-way traffic as the home team dominated the GT attack.

The Samson-Riyan duo not only overcame early jitters but also steadied the innings with their fearless approach. Put in to bat by GT skipper Gill, RR did not get off to a flying start. However, once the field restrictions were done with, Samson and Parag unleashed themselves.