Chandigarh: Young left-hander Cooper Connolly made a memorable IPL debut with a match-winning 72 off 44 balls, complementing Yuzvendra Chahal’s skillful spell to guide Punjab Kings to a three-wicket win over Gujarat Titans on Tuesday.
After PBKS chose to field, leg-spinner Chahal (2/28 in 4 overs) used his vast experience to choke GT in the middle overs and restrict them to 162/6.
Seamer Vijaykumar Vyshak also impressed, returning figures of 3/34 for PBKS.
Despite a wobble in the chase caused by Prasidh Krishna’s excellent spell (3/29 in 4 overs), PBKS reached the 163-run target with five balls remaining. Connolly and Prabhsimran Singh (37 off 24 balls) set up the victory with a 76-run stand for the second wicket.
Earlier, captain Shubman Gill (39 off 27 balls) and Jos Buttler (38 off 33 balls) were the main scorers for GT in a largely underwhelming batting effort.
PBKS did not begin well, as Kagiso Rabada cramped Priyansh Arya for room with his pace and accuracy, forcing the opener’s dismissal via a sharp catch at midwicket by debutant fast bowler Ashok Sharma, who moved back a few steps to complete the grab.
Connolly and Prabhsimran then took control, batting with purpose and professionalism to keep PBKS ahead, unleashing a stream of fours and sixes to put the GT bowlers under pressure.
Rashid Khan briefly revived GT’s hopes by removing Prabhsimran, who failed to clear Prasidh Krishna at long-on.
Shreyas Iyer struck Ashok Kumar’s short deliveries for two sixes over deep square-leg, but shortly after being struck firmly by a shot from his partner Connolly, the PBKS skipper flicked a Prasidh Krishna half-volley straight to Washington Sundar at deep mid-wicket.
Sundar then dismissed Nehal Wadhera, while Krishna accounted for Shashank Singh and Marcus Stoinis in quick time to drag GT back into the contest.
However, Connolly held firm to finish the job, hammering five sixes and five fours in his innings.
Earlier, sent in to bat, Gill peppered the boundary as GT sped to 35 in the first three overs.
Gill, in fluent touch, pierced the gaps at will and scored briskly, prompting PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer to introduce the tall Marco Jansen (1/20 in 4 overs) into the attack.
The change worked immediately as left-arm pacer Jansen induced Sai Sudharsan (13) to slice a shot straight to mid-off, where Shreyas completed a straightforward catch.
Sudharsan appeared to be trying to loft the ball over mid-on, but instead handed PBKS a crucial breakthrough in the fourth over.
Jos Buttler then walked in and, coming off a poor T20 World Cup, got off the mark stylishly by driving Vyshak Vijaykumar through cover for four, a stroke that seemed to boost his confidence.
Buttler then cut a short and wide Jansen delivery through backward point for another boundary and launched the match’s first six by lofting Vyshak straight down the ground, as the seamer missed his mark with a slower ball.
GT finished the powerplay at 54 for one, with PBKS recovering well after conceding heavily in the first three overs.
Chahal entered the attack in the eighth over and, having dismissed Gill three times in previous IPL encounters, got the better of him again as the opener picked out deep midwicket after being set for a big score.
Chahal floated one slower through the air, and though Gill got the elevation, he lacked the distance to clear the boundary.
New batter Glenn Phillips struck Chahal over long-on for six, and Buttler then pulled a short ball from Xavier Bartlett over mid-on for another maximum.
