Highlights IPL 2017, GL vs RPS in Rajkot, cricket scores and updates: Gujarat Lions pull off first win of tournament

After 18 overs,Gujarat Lions 172/3 ( Suresh Raina (C) 35 , Aaron Finch 33)

Ferguson brought back into the attack. Finch flicks the first ball straight to Imran Tahir, who puts it down at fine-leg, and allows the ball to run away to the boundary rope. SIX! Finch brings up the 50-stand in the following ball with a flick towards the leg side. 

SIX! Gujarat Lions win by 7 wickets! 

Finch flicks hammers the last ball of the over down the ground to bring up the team’s first win of the tournament after two devastating defeats.

After 17 overs,Gujarat Lions 151/3 ( Suresh Raina (C) 34 , Aaron Finch 14)

Thakur back into the attack, with Gujarat now looking positive on their path towards victory. Awkward slap by Finch towards the square-leg region after adjusting to the slower ball in the last minute. Five runs off the over, with the 150 coming up for Gujarat. 

Gujarat Lions need 21 to win from 18 balls.

After 16 overs,Gujarat Lions 146/3 ( Suresh Raina (C) 31 , Aaron Finch 12)

Tahir into his final over. Finch gets his second boundary with ideal use of the bottom hand, driving it through the covers to despatch it away with ease. Four more two deliveries later, this time Raina going for the inside-out shot. The GL skipper ends the over with a paddle towards the fine-leg boundary. The umpire signals for the second timeout. 

Gujarat Lions need 26 to win from 24 balls.

After 15 overs,Gujarat Lions 133/3 ( Suresh Raina (C) 23 , Aaron Finch 7)

Raina shows his class once again in the next over, timing his lofted drive over extra-cover to perfection to get his first boundary. Wide conceded in the next ball. The Gujarat captain ends the over with a punch towards the cover boundary, where the diving fielder fails to prevent the ball from crossing over. 

Gujarat Lions need 39 to win from 30 balls.

After 14 overs,Gujarat Lions 123/3 ( Suresh Raina (C) 15 , Aaron Finch 6)

Aaron Finch, the new batsman, paddles the third ball of the next over, which is Chahar’s third, towards the fine-leg boundary. Raina comes down the track and lofts the teenager over the wide long-on boundary tp show that his presence is still a threat for Pune. 11 off the over. 

Gujarat Lions need 49 to win from 36 balls.

After 13 overs,Gujarat Lions 112/3 ( Suresh Raina (C) 9 , Aaron Finch 1)

Tahir, who still is a major threat to Gujarat’s plans despite going for 35 off his first two overs, returns to the attack. Good running between the two batsmen in the first four deliveries, before Tahir deceives Karthik with a googly that the latter only chops onto his stumps. 

Gujarat Lions need 60 to win from 42 balls.

BOWLED EM! It’s the wrong un from Tahir, and it was only a matter of time before he struck. Karthik chops on to his stumps while looking for the cut to depart for 3. GL 111/3

Dinesh Karthik b Tahir 3(5)

After 12 overs,Gujarat Lions 107/2 ( Suresh Raina (C) 6 , Dinesh Karthik (W) 2)

Chahar, who pulled off a stunning fielding effort at fine third man, into the attack. The younger Chahar sibling removes McCullum first ball, shortening his length while looking to bring his half-century up in style with a strike down the ground. Another appeal for a stumping in the fifth ball, though new batsman Karthik’s foot was safely inside the crease this time. 

Gujarat Lions need 65 to win from 48 balls.

OUT! McCullum is stumped one short of his half-century, off Chahar’s bowling. Came down the track early, which prompted Chahar to reduce his length. The latter looks pumped up after the dismissal, which should boost Pune’s morale. GL 102/2

Brendon McCullum st Dhoni b Chahar 49(32)

After 11 overs,Gujarat Lions 102/1 ( Brendon McCullum 49 , Suresh Raina (C) 3)

Stokes back into the attack in the 11th over. Unbelievable effort by Chahar at fine third man. McCullum scooped this one over the keeper’s head, with the ball travelling high up in the air. Chahar reverse-cupped the ball after jumping over the rope, and threw it back in before landing on the other side. Stokes couldn’t help but appreciate the effort. Six off the over, with the 100 coming up for Gujarat in this over. 

Gujarat Lions need 70 to win from 54 balls.

After 10 overs,Gujarat Lions 96/1 ( Brendon McCullum 45 , Suresh Raina (C) 1)
 

Ferguson brought back from the other end, and he bowls a tight one, with the final delivery of the over cramping McCullum for room after angling into him. Just two runs off an excellent over. Gujarat still a hot favourite for victory at the halfway mark at the moment. 

Gujarat Lions need 76 to win from 60 balls.

After 9 overs,Gujarat Lions 94/1 ( Brendon McCullum 45 , Suresh Raina (C) 0)

Thakur into his second over, under immense pressure at the moment given the way McCullum and Smith are going about business right now. Bowls a wide in the fourth delivery, before Baz mistimes his shot in the next delivery lobbing it over to the vacant are between mid-off and mid-on. Thakur though, manages to get rid of Smith in the penultimate ball to snap the opening stand six short of the 100-mark. 

Gujarat Lions need 78 to win from 66 balls.

OUT! Smith falls short of his fifty by 3 runs after guiding a slower ball from Thakur towards third-man. Just when these two were looking set for a 10-wicket victory with about four overs to spare, Thakur gets the much-needed breakthrough, they’re still a long way from home. GL 94/1

Dwayne Smith c Chahar b Thakur 47(30)

After 8 overs,Gujarat Lions 91/0 ( Dwayne Smith 46 , Brendon McCullum 44)

FOUR! Crunched away by Baz McCullum towards the wide long-on boundary off successive balls! The former New Zealand reaches out for the ball on both occasions, and connects beautifully. SIX! Baz comes down the ground, and lofts it straight into the sight stcreen. Single in the fourth ball, with Smith patting the fifth delivery down the ground for another boundary. Tahir in the middle of a nightmarish spell, conceding 35 from the two overs that he has bowled so far. 

Gujarat Lions need 81 to win from 72 balls.

After 7 overs,Gujarat Lions 71/0 ( Dwayne Smith 41 , Brendon McCullum 29)

Youngster Rahul Chahar into the attack in the seventh over. Tahir saves a couple of runs at deep point after a cut by Smith, although ‘Doctor’ gets the boundaries nevertheless — off successive deliveries in the fourth and fifth deliveries. 10 off the youngster’s first over. 

Gujarat Lions need 101 to win from 78 balls.

After 6 overs,Gujarat Lions 61/0 ( Dwayne Smith 31 , Brendon McCullum 29)

Imran Tahir, who has been something of a match-winner both for South Africa as well as for RPS, introduced in the final over of powerplay. Baz hammers back-to-back boundaries in the second and third balls, bringing  up the 50-stand. Comes down the track and reaches out for a slog towards long-on for a big hit! Dot to end the over, with Gujarat progressing at 10 per over at the moment. The umpire signals for the first timeout of the innings, with the Pune attack in desperate need of a huddle at the moment. 

Gujarat Lions need 111 to win from 84 balls.

After 5 overs,Gujarat Lions 46/0 ( Dwayne Smith 30 , Brendon McCullum 15)

Stokes into the attack, and he gets off with a variations straightaway. Cramps McCullum for room first ball, allowing him just a single, while firing a slower on two balls later. Excellent over by the New Zealand-born all-rounder, giving away just two off it.

After 4 overs,Gujarat Lions 44/0 ( Dwayne Smith 29 , Brendon McCullum 14)

Ferguson continues from the other end. Concedes a wide in the second ball after hurtling one down Smith’s leg side. Smith gets his fourth boundary by slicing a full delivery over gully. Superb delivery by Ferguson in the penultimate over, firing it into the blockhole. Another boundary to end the over, this time flicked by Smith towards the wide long-on boundary.

After 3 overs,Gujarat Lions 33/0 ( Dwayne Smith 20 , Brendon McCullum 13)

Shardul Thakur, playing his first game of the tournament, walks right in the middle of a carnge, with both Gujarat openers going hammer and tongs from the very start. Thakur cramps Smith for room in the first three balls, though Baz has no trouble hammering him towards the midwicket boundary. Looked like a dropped chance in the fifth ball, after McCullum hammered a low full-toss back to the bowler, who is wringing his hands after impact. Six off the over, a  much better one compared to the others.

After 2 overs,Gujarat Lions 27/0 ( Dwayne Smith 19 , Brendon McCullum 8)

McCullum and Smith looking in the mood. Adter a couple of dots, McCullum hammers it over extra cover. Smith then gets into the act and pulls one over square leg. 12 runs off the over. If these two get going then RPS bowlers are in some real trouble.

After 1 overs, Gujarat Lions 16/0 ( Dwayne Smith 15 , Brendon McCullum 1)

A blistering start from Smith. Smith he looked to go big off the first ball but got an inside edge over square leg. But then connected one cleanly to send it sailing over deep mid-wicket stands. He then punches it through covers for a four to end the over.

At Rajkot in IPL:

Matches – 6

Batting 1st won – 1

Batting 2nd won – 5

Andre Tye becomes the first bowler to take a five-for in the debut match in IPL. 

DYK: This is Andre Tye’s second hat-trick in 2017 in T20 cricket. His first was against Brisbane Heat v Perth Scorchers at Brisbane on 11 January, 2017.

After 20 overs,Rising Pune Supergiant 171/8 ( Lockie Ferguson 1 , Rahul Chahar 3)

Incredible last over by Tye, and he walks away with a haul of 4-0-17-5 on IPL debut — which should have been 6/17 had it not been for Jadeja dropping a catch near the midwicket boundary! What a day not just for Tye, but for IPL in general! And now we have a competitive game in hand. Tye will be hoping for the Gujarat batsmen to deliver on the occasion and not let his spell go waste, as was the case with that of Samuel Badree in the previous game. We’ll be back in some time.

Andre Tye becomes the first bowler to take a five-for in the debut match in IPL. 

Best bowling figures on IPL debut:

5/17 – ANDREW TYE*

4/11 – Shoaib Akhtar 

4/26 – Kevon Cooper

Bowlers with a hat-trick in IPL:

Lakshipathy Balaji, Ajit Chandila, Praveen Kumar 

Amit Mishra (3), Sunil Narine, Makhaya Ntini 

Axar Patel, Rohit Sharma, Pravin Tambe

Shane Watson, Yuvraj Singh (2), Samuel Badree, ANDREW TYE*

OUT! TWO HAT-TRICKS IN A DAY! How incredible is that! Knuckle ball from Tye, which Thakur fails to pick as he gets his leg-stump rattled! Oh what a day this is turning out to be! RPS 167/8

Shardul Thakur b Tye 0(1)

OUT! And now it is Manoj Tiwary’s turn to head back to the dugout, getting caught at deep square-leg while looking to go for an might pull! Tye on a hat-trick; RPS 167/7
 

Manoj Tiwary c Kishan b Tye 31(27)

OUT! Tye strikes once again, this time in his final over, as he gets rid of Ankit for 25.The southpaw looked to heave this one down the ground, and ended up getting a bottom-edge. Went up high in the air, and McCullum took a well-judged catch near the long-on boundary. RPS 167/6

Ankit Sharma c McCullum b Tye 25(15)

After 19 overs,Rising Pune Supergiant 167/5 ( Manoj Tiwary 31 , Ankit Sharma 25)

Praveen starts the penultimate over with a wide down leg, before getting hit for a maximum towards the cow-corner boundary in th esecond ball. Quick double exchanged in the third delivery. Broken bat alert! Tiwary looks to play a fuller delivery from Praveen in the fourth ball, and it breaks in half as he goes for the shot. Continues running nevertheless, and dives at the striker’s end with whatever’s left of the handle while going for a second run. Just one over to go now.