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'There was nothing to think about. Just go there and hit sixes. That's what I and David (Miller) were thinking.'
Rahul Tewatia's consecutive sixes off the last two deliveries, with 12 runs required for victory, steered Gujarat Titans past Punjab Kings by six wickets in Friday’s IPL match at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.
Tewatia kept things simple at the crunch and pulled off victory from the jaws of defeat.
"Amazing feeling! There was nothing to think about. Just go there and hit sixes. That's what I and David (Miller) were thinking," said the batter after the incredible victory.
With 12 runs needed off the last two balls of the match, Tewatia was on strike against pacer Odean Smith. The southpaw hit successive sixes and finished with an unbeaten 13, at a strike rate of 433.33, to pull off a chase of 190 in 20 overs.
"I planned against Smith. The last ball was off the middle of the bat, and I knew it was six. The first ball he bowled was wide outside off, and so I thought the last ball was going to come there too," he explained.
Gujarat Titans look like a very well-balanced squad. Their support staff comprises some big names, like former India pacer Ashish Nehra, as Head Coach; former India coach and South Africa opener Gary Kirsten, as batting coach; former England cricketer Vikram Solanki, as Director of Cricket Operations.
Thus, Tewatia is enjoying the atmosphere in the team.
"Staff is really chilled here. They just tell us to practice hard," he said.
After winning three consecutive matches Gujarat Titans are in second place in the league table, with three wins.
They take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday.