Shubman Gill makes his much awaited Sher-E-Punjab T20 league debut as his side Fazilka Falcons trump Ludhiana Lions
Fazilka escaped with a one-run win, while Gill was named Player of the Match for his contribution on debut
File photo of Shubman Gill. (Credits: X)
Indian Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill made a strong start to his Sher-E-Punjab T20 League campaign, scoring 40 off 21 balls on his debut for Fazilka Falcons before his side held off Ludhiana Lions by one run in a thrilling finish at SAS Nagar, Mohali, on Sunday.
Gill's first appearance had been one of the main talking points before the match. The India captain opened the innings after Ludhiana skipper Arshdeep Singh won the toss and chose to bowl. Gill did not take long to make an impact, hitting seven fours and a six during his short stay at the crease.
His innings gave Fazilka early momentum, but the Falcons lost their way after his dismissal. Kartik Chadha removed Gill and went on to finish with impressive figures of 4/9 from four overs. Despite Chadha's spell, Fazilka recovered through Prerit Dutta, who scored 36 off 23 balls, and Jaiveer Bhinder Singh, who added 21 off 18. The Falcons finished on 170/9.
Ludhiana's chase looked in trouble as wickets fell at regular intervals. Karteek Sharma tried to hold the innings together with 32 off 29 balls, but the Lions struggled to keep up with the required run rate.
The match changed late in the innings when Krish Bhagat and Madhav Pathania began attacking the Fazilka bowlers. Their unbeaten 61-run partnership from 29 balls brought Ludhiana back into the contest.
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Pathania remained not out on 37 off 16 balls, while Bhagat finished unbeaten on 28 off 23. The Lions needed 19 runs from the final over and took the game to the last delivery. With six required from the final ball, Pathania could hit only a four, leaving Ludhiana on 169/8.
Fazilka escaped with a one-run win, while Gill was named Player of the Match for his contribution on debut. His 40 was the highest score in the Falcons' innings and helped set up a match that went down to the final ball.
Gill will be back in action on Monday when Fazilka Falcons face Abhishek Sharma's Amritsar Royals. The match will give him another chance to build on his first outing in the league.
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