GT defeats tenacious Punjab thanks to a calm performance from Washington Sundar and traditional Test bowlers.

When Washington Sundar twisted Marcus Stoinis's penultimate ball of the final over on one knee over fine leg, a chase of slow-burning thrills and twists came to a fitting conclusion. Because of the Punjab Kings' tenacity and fear setting into the Gujarat Titans' middle order, the chase of 163 wasn't supposed to be this thrilling.It was arguably the most crucial move in Washington's start-stop T20 career; in retrospect, he might claim that it rescued his career in the shortest format. Both the knock (40 off 23 not out) and the shot had redemptive qualities. His function seemed to be unclear to almost everyone, including himself. He has provided clarification. He may lead a challenging chase as a middle-order finisher with cool demeanor and ice veins. Perhaps not for reckless pursuits, but those that call for hearts that don't falter in an emergency.Because Punjab would attack whenever Gujarat Titans appeared to strengthen their hold on the match.

The Titans' concerns about a power-play wobble were allayed by Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler's 51-run partnership following Shubman Gill's dismissal for 16. However, panic was sparked by Buttler's departure with the score at 69. With just 15 runs off 11 balls, Nishant Sindhu crushed the nerves of a rookie.However, Sudharsan offered tranquility and serenity. After the respite, Sudharsan pummeled Yuzvendra Chahal for a pair of fours, cutting the need to an unpleasant 61 off 42 balls. Vijayakumar Vyshak's lofted-driven four from Sundar further narrowed the margin, but in keeping with the cat-and-mouse style of the chase, Vyshak ejected Sudharsan with a shortish ball, revealing his locked shoulders that impede the bat's clean movement.Xavier Bartlett's four-run over placed the game on the verge, but Washington's back-to-back fours off Marco Jansen restored the Titans' dominance. Rahul Tewatia, the Impact Sub, was removed by Jansen's short ball, but Punjab continued to come back.With 17 needed from 12 balls, the game was suddenly even. However, Punjab's top bowlers had used up all of their supply. Knowing this, Jason Holder and Washington scored five runs off the first four balls without much fuss. Then, driven by ambition, Holder attempted to hit Arshdeep Singh over mid-wicket but missed Cooper Connolly. Washington, however, prevented further twists.