Shreyas Ayer started his captaincy career with a brilliant 97 off 47 deliveries that included 9 sixes and 5 boundaries to help his franchise Punjab Kings to a winning total of 243 for 5 wickets, with a strike rate of 230.95, thus giving a clear indication of the batter friendly pitch at the Narendra Modhi Stadium at Ahmedabad in their lung opener against Gujrat Titans.
Punjab Kings as expected made hay with their batters under the guidance of Skipper Shreyas Ayer making such a winning score of 243 for 5 wickets with Priyanash Arya setting the tone up front with 47 runs by opening the innings with a late burst caneo 44 from Shanshak Sing and Marcus Stonis 20 runs that was a lending muscle to Shreyas Ayer to bat deep into the innings.
Obviously, the feature of the PBKS innings of 243 for 5 wickets was the contribution of skipper Shreyas Ayer holding his inexperienced Indian based batters together by batting alongside them after which he opened hish
Bn shoulders with big hits after the 15th over.
PBKS lost wicket number 1 with the score on 28 that, too, in the 4th over whilst opener Arya was given the marching orders after he compiled 47 runs with the score on 79.
The quick departure of Azmatulla Omarzai for 16 and Glenn Maxwell for no score with the score on 105 for 4 wickets needed for quality batting and constructive partnerships to reach a defendable total.
Marcus Stonis joined Shreyas Ayer as the former Australian one day all rounder quickened the pace with a stingy 20, but the batting prowess of Shanshak Sing, his 44 in 16 deliveries helped PBKS to the eventually challenging total at the end of 20 overs.
Srinivasan Sai was the only successful bowler for Gujrat Titans 3 for 30 his figures in a score of 243 are excellent.
244 as a target is challenging. Gujrat Titans with a positive mindset
got off to a great start, made 61 for the loss of one scalp in the power play overs whilst skipper Shubman Gill 33 with Buttler 54 helped Gujrat Titans to reach 145 for 2 wickets in 12.2 overs , then advance to 199 for 3 wickets in the 17th over and be within striking distance.
However, the departure of Jos Buttler for 54 made a dent , whilst Rutherford, who made 46, almost got the Gujrat Titans over the line, but the experience of Arsdeep Sing, death over bowling experience and his 2 scalps for 36 especially the 2 wickets in the final over helped PBKS to get home by 11 runs.
The game can be tagged as a nail bitter.