Images from the IPL 2022 match between Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, in Pune, on Sunday.
Ruturaj Gaikwad finally found form with a 48-ball 73 before Gujarat Titans pulled things back to limit Chennai Super Kings at 169 for five.
Gujarat's bowlers did exceedingly well in the last six overs, conceding only 45 after a 92-run third-wicket stand between Gaikwad and Ambati Rayudu (46 from 31 balls).
Put into bat, Gaikwad, who notched up his maiden IPL fifty of the season, added 92 off just 56 balls with Rayudu, to rally CSK after a couple of early wickets.
Gaikwad's knock was studded with five fours and as many sixes as he anchored the innings. Rayudu hammered four boundaries and two sixes, playing second fiddle to Gaikwad, who was in his elements.
After a sedate start, Gaikwad, in search of vital runs after a prolonged run of poor scores, upped the ante in the fourth over. He flicked Yash Dayal (1/40) for his first maximum over the deep backward square region and then got a boundary off a top-edge.
Gaikwad flicked pacer Mohammed Shami (1/20) for a boundary and then launched into Alzarri Joseph (2/34), smashing him for another maximum over midwicket.
The elegant right-handed batter mixed caution with aggression and played a stylish pull shot over square-leg for a maximum off Joseph, who gave away 15 runs in the 11th over.
Gaikwad completed his first half-century in IPL 2022 from 37 balls with a single through midwicket, in the 12th over. He continued to grow in confidence as he blasted Dayal for two boundaries and a six in the 12th over, from which 19 runs came.
Gaikwad then tore into Lockie Ferguson (0/46), pulling him for a six before playing an elegant cover drive to set it for CSK, who were 113 for two at that stage of the innings with seven overs still to go.
However, after threatening to score around the 175-run mark, CSK lost the plot after losing Rayudu and Gaikwad in quick succession.
While Rayudu gave a sitter to Vijay Shankar at sweeper-cover, in a bid to score quickly, Gaikwad perished in the 17th over.
A late onslaught by skipper Ravindra Jadeja (22 not out off 12 balls) and Shivam Dube (19) helped CSK score a few runs in the end, with 18 runs coming in the final over bowled by Ferguson.