Published: Apr 11, 2016, 11:28 PM (IST)
Edited: Apr 11, 2016, 11:28 PM (IST)
Gujarat Lions (GL) began their short journey in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on a memorable note, when they trumped the experienced Kings XI Punjab by 5 wickets in the third match of the IPL 9 tournament. Chasing 162 to win, Gujarat Lions were served well by their experienced campaigners in Aaron Finch and Dinesh Karthik, who played vital roles in their win. While Finch scored more than half of the3 runs required all by himself, Karthik chipped in with a valuable knock of to guide his team to a win. Live Cricket Scorecard: Kings XI Punjab vs Gujarat Lions, IPL 2016 Match 3 at Mohali
Aaron Finch’s half-century: The right-handed Australian batsman did not let his side face too many troubles despite the early loss of Brendon McCullum. Finch batted brilliantly, he took a special liking for compatriot Mitchell Johnson early on. Finch struck boundaries all over the park, and despite the target being a little too much for a new team to chase, he did not let the pressure build on his side. Finch faced 47 balls and struck as many as 12 boundaries to score 74, providing his side the much-needed impetus. IPL 2016 Schedule, Time Table, Fixture PDF Download
Forgettable return for the greats: There would have been a section of the fans who would have waited anxiously for Brendon McCullum and Mitchell Johnson to return to top flight cricket. The two, however, disappointed. While McCullum had a soft dismissal while dancing down the track and trying to fend off. On the other hand, Johnson’s footwork to dismiss Jadeja was the only highlight from the star pacer.
Dinesh Karthik’s innings: Karthik played with a lot of responsibility. He added 65 runs with Finch for the third wicket to help Gujarat Lions revive their innings. He hung around at the crease, never taking the undue risks and instead trying to keep the scoreboard ticking. Karthik played the role of a finisher, scoring 41 not out off 26 balls with the help of seven boundaries. Gujarat Lions will certainly like Karthik to carry on in the same passion in the games to come.
Mitchell Johnson’s footwork: The Australian bowler had an ordinary return to cricket. He was punished by Finch early on, and towards the end of the game Karthik posed threats which Johnson could not overcome. However, it was his brilliant work with the foot in his follow through that resulted in the end of Jadeja. Karthik dabbed the third ball of the 15th over and set off for a single. Jadeja too sprinted from the non-striker’s, but Johnson got to the ball that was rolling on the pitch quickly. Johnson kicked it towards the stumps, and caught Jadeja short of the crease by a long margin.
(Devarchit Varma is senior writer with CricketCountry. He can be followed on Twitter @Devarchit)
