Shikhar Dhawan scored a fluent unbeaten 62 as the Punjab Kings registered a comprehensive 8 wicket win over the Gujarat Titans at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday.
After winning the toss and electing to bat first Gujarat lost Shubman Gill early for 9, courtesy a brilliant direct hit by Rishi Dhawan towards extra cover.
Wriddhiman Saha looked in good touch before skying a catch towards mid off to Mayank Agwarwal off Kagiso Rabada for 20.
Gujarat skipper Hardik Pandya (1) departed cheaply, nicking a length ball from Rishi to Jitesh Sharma behind the stumps, leaving Gujarat in a spot of bother at 44/3.
The pair of Sai Sudarshan along with David Miller added 23 runs for the fourth wicket before the latter was caught at long off by Kagiso Rabada off Liam Livingstone.
Rabada then brought Punjab Kings back into the contest with wickets of the dangerous Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan in quick succession.
However in the end Sudarshan scored a quickfire unbeaten 65 to take Gujarat to a competitive score of 143/8 in 20 overs.
For Punjab, Rabada was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4/33.
Chasing 144, Jonny Bairstow opened the innings along side Shikhar Dhawan. However the England opener was back in the hut for 1, top edging a Mohammed Shami delivery to Pradeep Sangwan at deep fine leg.
Dhawan and Bhanuka Rajapaksa featured in a 87 run stand for the second wicket before the latter was trapped leg before wicket by a Lockie Ferguson’s slower delivery for a breezy 40.
Livingstone (30)* then launched Shami for 28 runs in the 16th over, as Punjab overhauled the target with 4 overs to spare.