Just three days after producing a dominant display for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, fast bowler Josh Hazlewood was brought back to earth during a difficult outing against the Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Thursday. In a match where the Bengaluru side defended a modest total of 155, Hazlewood struggled to find his rhythm, ultimately conceding 56 runs across his four-over allocation.
Gill leads the charge
The Australian veteran faced intense pressure from Shubman Gill, who dismantled the opening over of the innings for 24 runs. Gill’s aggressive approach set the tone for the chase, as he struck four boundaries and two sixes in that opening sequence. The onslaught included a mix of elegant offside drives, a lofted shot over mid-on, and a fluid flick off his pads for six. This sequence marked one of the most expensive overs in Hazlewood’s career, equaling his previous record set in 2022 against the Punjab Kings.
The pressure on the Bengaluru bowling attack continued throughout the innings. Hazlewood was further challenged by Jos Buttler, who added to the run tally with two sixes. Adding to the frustration for the Bengaluru side, a misfield from Virat Kohli led to an extra five runs via overthrows, and a chance was missed when a catch off Buttler went down. Despite the efforts of the Bengaluru bowlers, the Gujarat Titans successfully chased down the target with 25 balls to spare, moving to fifth on the points table while Bengaluru remained in second place.
Bengaluru’s batting innings
Earlier in the day, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru innings saw a promising start from Virat Kohli, who produced a series of authentic cricket shots. Most notably, Kohli struck five consecutive boundaries off Kagiso Rabada in the second over. However, Rabada responded to claim Kohli’s wicket for 28 off 13 deliveries, triggering a middle-order collapse for the batting side.
Devdutt Padikkal emerged as the top scorer for Bengaluru with 40 runs off 24 balls before he was bowled by Rashid Khan, who finished with impressive figures of 2-19. Gujarat’s pace attack proved highly effective, with Arshad Khan returning figures of 3-22 and Jason Holder contributing 2-29, while also taking three significant catches that earned him player of the match honors. The total of 155 proved insufficient to challenge the Titans’ batting lineup on the night.
Context of the performance
This result marked a stark contrast to Hazlewood’s previous appearance, where he claimed 4-12 in a win over the Capitals in Delhi. While the bowler has long been recognized for his precision and ability to restrict scoring, the match in Ahmedabad served as a reminder of the volatility of the T20 format. The veteran will look to regain his usual consistency as Bengaluru continues its campaign in the tournament, aiming to stabilize its position among the league’s top contenders despite the recent setback in Gujarat.
