GT vs RR: Jos Buttler gets a reprieve as Hardik Pandya slips down while fielding

After enjoying a purple patch in the first half of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, Jos Buttler’s form hit a downhill as the dasher endured one failure after another. As a result, he batted consciously against Gujarat Titans in the ongoing Qualifier 1. As it had rained in Kolkata, the track at the Eden Gardens was damp and Buttler found it hard to get going early on.

However, he wasn’t dismissed for a low score as luck was on his side. The dasher received multiple lifelines thanks to errors from GT fielders. In fact, the bowling team’s skipper, Hardik Pandya, was also guilty of giving Buttler a reprieve. It was the second ball of the 16th over and Buttler tried to smash Yash Dayal straight down the ground.

Jos Buttler made full use of the lifeline

The connection was far from proper and Hardik looked set to accept an easy catch at long-off. Unfortunately for the Titans, Hardik slipped and couldn’t move forward. As a result, the ball bounced over him and raced away to the boundary. While Dayal was disappointed, Hardik couldn’t believe his misfortune. As it was raining heavily hours before the game, there was dampness in the outfield and the same saved Buttler.

Meanwhile, Buttler added salt to GT’s wounds, hitting Dayal for two more boundaries in that over. In fact, the right-handed batter shifted his gears right after this miscue in the field and gave GT bowlers a tough time. From Mohammed Shami to Alzarri Joseph, the Englishman spared none in the death overs and ended up scoring 89 off just 56 balls.

As a result, RR posted 188/6 in their allotted 20 overs. Considering the gravity of the match, the total is indeed substantial and the Men in Pink would be pleased with their efforts. However, they must not be complacent as GT have somehow found ways to win matches this season. For the unversed, the winner of this contest would go straight into the finals while the loser will meet the winner of Eliminator in Qualifier 2.