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19.4 overs: Before Rahul Tewatia's twin sixes, Odean Smith's “brain fade” that changed everything. Sehwag, Jaffer react
Odean Smith gave an over throw in the fourth ball of the last over that allowed Rahul Tewatia to get back on strike. Virender Sehwag called it a “brain fade” moment.
When Rahul Tewatia had broken into a roaring celebration, Odean Smith was almost on his knees. He was of course at the receiving end of Tewatia's two sixes when 12 runs were needed in the final two deliveries of the Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings IPL 2022 match. Smith was definitely disappointed, perhaps a tad shocked too with his final two deliveries that were right in the hitting range of Tewatia but what would be hurting the PBKS right-arm seamer more was his rush of blood the ball before that allowed Tewatia back on strike. Former India batter Virender Sehwag called it a "brain fade" moment.
Winning the match directly would have been out of GT's reach had Smith not thrown the ball in his quest to run Tewatia out at the non-striker's end off the fourth ball of the last over. He had bowled a good delivery which was hit straight back at him by GT's David Miller. If he had held on to it then GT would have needed 13 runs off the last two balls and even two sixes could have only taken the match to a super over. Moreover, Tewatia would not have been on strike in the first place.
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But the West Indies bowler took a shy at the stumps and missed it allowing Tewatia and Miller to sneak a single.
What happened in the last two balls, was history. Tewatia hit Smith for back-to-back sixes to snatch an incredible coming-from-behind victory for GT.
"Waah Lord Tewatia,.... Need his statue in Punjab Kings dugout. What a brainfade by Smith to concede an overthrow with 13 needed off 2," tweeted Sehwag.
Former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer called the over throw a "crucial" event in the match.
"Crucial overthrow from Odean on 4th ball, gave extra run & brought Tewatia on strike. Baffled not to see a single Yorker in 20th over by Odean. Well done to @gujarat_titans, Super knock from @ShubmanGill and @rahultewatia02 just ice cool under pressure," tweeted Jaffer.
Batting first, Punjab Kings had posted 189 for six in their 20 overs riding on a blistering innings by Liam Livingstone. In reply, GT banked on Shubman Gill's (96) knock and Tewatia's last over heroics to reach the target with six wickets in the bank.
This was Gujarat Titans' third win on the trot in their maiden appearance in the IPL.
