I would have definitely thrown the ball for last over to Trent Boult: Shane Watson

Trent Boult. (Source -IPL)

The Gujarat Titans (GT) handed the Rajasthan Royals (RR) their first loss of the IPL 2024, winning the match by three wickets, at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur on Wednesday. Batting first, Rajasthan scored 196 runs in the first innings, with Gujarat chasing it down in the last ball. JioCinema IPL experts Eoin Morgan and Shane Watson broke down the performances of Shubman Gill (72 runs) and Rashid Khan (24* runs, 1/18), exclusively on Match Centre Live.

Eoin Morgan spoke on Shubman Gill – “He is a classy operator. It felt like he would have to win the game on his own. They were losing wickets at very regular intervals, his opening partner was out. But some of the shots he played, applying pressure, almost risk-free, at no stage did he look reckless until he got out. He’s just one of the best players in the country at the moment and can manage that ability to score around the ground, exceptionally well.” 

Shane Watson spoke on Rashid Khan – “He is just a true competitor. There’s not a moment in a game that goes by without him fully competing or fully engaged. Even if he’s slightly off his best with the ball, which he was in the first couple of games, it was never going to be too long before he made his mark on this TATA IPL again. He’s done it so many times throughout his career and he’s still relatively young as well. There’s going to be many more occasions because when the true competitors get up for every moment, they’ll always have the opportunity to assert their dominance over a game or a tournament.” 

Watson spoke on Trent Boult not bowling the final over for Rajasthan – “I would have definitely thrown him the ball. But one thing you got to understand, Trent Boult outside of the powerplay throughout this IPL, is going at 14 runs an over. He’s leaked a lot of runs when he’s had the chance to bowl outside of the powerplay.

I can see why Sanju Samson would be a bit gun-shy when it comes to bringing him to bowl but when it comes down to a situation like that, game is on the line, you need your best decision-makers, under pressure, to be able to step up. That would have been a team decision tactically of not exposing Trent Boult to that moment and time. But in hindsight, you go with your most experienced player because he has more chances of being clear.”