Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], : Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper Shubman Gill praised his team’s bowling efforts in the first seven to eight overs, which enabled them to take early wickets, as his side defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

RCB lost by eight wickets at the beginning of their home run against GT after two away victories and two games that made a big impression against the reigning champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the five-time champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK). GT put on a brilliant display with both bat and ball.

“We have seen on this ground, that restricting them to 170 was a good effort,” captain Gill said at the post-match presentation after the game. Sometimes the pitch has something in it; you can score 250 and get early wickets. In the first seven or eight overs, there was something for the fast bowlers, and we knew that if we picked early wickets, we would still be in the game. You are upset over his team’s missed receptions, but you must keep trying and seize the next chance. Taking the wicket into consideration, we batted properly. It all comes down to playing appropriately and adjusting to the circumstances.

When the game started, GT won the toss and chose to field, putting RCB to bat first. A 52-run partnership between Livingstone and Jitesh Sharma (33 in 20 balls, with five fours and a six) and a 46-run partnership for the seventh wicket between Livingstone (54 in 40 balls, with a four and five sixes) and Tim David (32 in 18 balls, with three fours and two sixes) helped RCB reach 169/8 in their 20 overs after former RCC player Mohammed Siraj (3/19) reduced them to 42/4.

Prasidh Krishna (1/26) and Sai Kishore (2/22) both displayed remarkable ball skills.

GT lost captain Shubman Gill (14) early in the run-chase, but they won with 13 balls and eight wickets remaining thanks to outstanding performances from Jos Buttler (73* in 39 balls, with five fours and six sixes), Sai Sudharsan (49 in 36 balls, with seven fours and a six), and Sherfane Rutherford (30* in 18 balls, with a four and three sixes).

For his period, Siraj was named ‘Player of the Match’.

With two victories and a defeat, RCB now has four points and is ranked third in the standings. With the identical win-loss record and points, GT sits one position behind them.