The China Mail - Buttler hits form with IPL fifty as Gujarat win last-ball thriller

The South African looked set to take Delhi over the line but elected to turn down a single on the second last ball with his side needing two to win.

Bowler Prasidh Krishna then outfoxed Miller with a slow delivery with the last ball of the match which the batter missed with a big swing as wicketkeeper Buttler hit the stumps to run out Kuldeep Yadav, who was desperately scrambling for the single that would have forced a super over.

Earlier, Buttler raised his first T20 half-century after a dismal run, which included a disappointing T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

His knock laid the foundations for Gujarat's 210-4 and in reply Delhi finished on 209-8 in 20 overs despite an explosive 41 not out by Miller and KL Rahul's 92.

Gujarat won by one run to bounce back from two defeats. Delhi suffered their first loss after two wins.

Buttler found his groove with a fourth-ball six off Mukesh Kumar and there was no looking back as he smacked four more hits over the fence in his 27-ball knock.

The top-order batter finally fell bowled to left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep after he missed a long-hop that stayed low and the ball rattled the stumps.

Buttler, 35, told AFP at the start of the T20 tournament that "he still has the hunger for runs" and still has the energy and motivation to play at the highest level.

He scored just 87 runs in eight matches during this year's T20 World Cup, as England lost in the semi-finals to eventual champions India last month.

- Battling Miller -

But his knock for Gujarat seemed to have inspired the team's batting as skipper Shubman Gill also struck form with a 70 after he missed the previous game.

Gill was involved in a 60-run stand with Buttler and then put on 104 runs with Washington Sundar, who scored 55 for his first IPL fifty.

Delhi started their reply strongly courtesy of Pathum Nissanka, who made 41, and Rahul as the pair put on 76 runs for the opening wicket but the chase wobbled as wickets fell.

Nissanka missed out on a fifty and leg-spinner Rashid Khan struck twice on successive balls to send back Nitish Rana and previous-match hero Sameer Rizvi, for a duck, in the 10th over.

Miller retired hurt on 12 and Rashid dismissed skipper Axar Patel for two to keep Gujarat in the hunt.

Tristan Stubbs was run out for seven after a mix-up with Rahul, who fell two balls later caught behind off Mohammed Siraj.

Miller returned to bat again and turned the chase on its head with his late hitting including a six that reached the third tier of the ground.

Needing to defend 13 off the last over, Delhi lost a wicket before Miller hit a six off Krishna but failed to finish off with Kuldeep run out on the final ball.

A.Sun--ThChM