The 48th match of IPL 2022 is in the history books now, with the Punjab Kings becoming the second team in IPL history to defeat the Gujarat Titans. A comprehensive performance from the batters and the bowlers helped the Punjab Kings return to winning ways. Liam Livingstone stole the show in the end with some massive sixes.
The Gujarat Titans won the toss and elected to bat first. However, the decision did not go in their favor as they lost wickets at regular intervals. 20-year-old uncapped batter Sai Sudharsan held one end till the end of the innings and scored 65 runs. His maiden IPL fifty helped the Gujarat Titans finish with a 143-run total on the board.
Chasing 144 to win, PBKS tried a new opening pair of Jonny Bairstow and Shikhar Dhawan. However, Bairstow failed to get going again. Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Dhawan then had a match-winning partnership of 87 runs for the second wicket. After Rajapaksa’s dismissal, Liam Livingstone came into the middle and played a quickfire knock of 30 runs off 10 balls.
He smashed two fours and three sixes, with one of them traveling the distance of 117 meters. It is the biggest six of the season so far. Speaking with host broadcasters after the match, Liam said:
“Swinging hard enough (grins). I didn’t think I was going to bat at one point tonight. Nice to go in and hit a few out of the middle. I thought Shikhar played beautifully. Him and Bhanuka set it up nicely with a partnership to set it up for us. It’s a big win for us, we needed it.”
Twitterati laud Liam Livingstone for his unreal bat swing against Mohammad Shami
Fans on Twitter were in disbelief after seeing the gigantic hit from Liam. Here are some of the top Twitter reactions to that shot:
Liam Livingstone with a gigantic six of IPL history. 117M six, wow!!
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 3, 2022
OMG! What a six from @liaml4893. 117m!#NGL, even we enjoyed it.
— Gujarat Titans (@gujarat_titans) May 3, 2022
Liam Livingstone hits Biggest SIX of this IPL season 2022 – 117 Meter.
— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) May 3, 2022
6.6.6.4 – Liam Livingstone doing it his way
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 3, 2022
Live – https://t.co/LcfJL3mlUQ #GTvPBKS #TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/O6U537Pjdb
Liam Livingstone
— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) May 3, 2022
: Disney+Hotstar pic.twitter.com/Pk59fcWY1E
OUT OF THE PARKKKKKK!
— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) May 3, 2022
117M six from @liaml4893
: Disney+Hotstar pic.twitter.com/0HucCUMNSL
OMG LIAM LIVINGSTONE
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) May 3, 2022
He has just smashed a 117-meter six (!), the biggest one in #IPL2022, off Mohammed Shami
Liam Livingstone has hit 117 meter, 108 meter, 106 meter and 105 meter six in #IPL2022.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 3, 2022
Liam Livingstone will be the next Russell in IPL.
— Aditya (@Adityakrsaha) May 3, 2022
Even Shami was impressed with that shot
— Utsav (@utsav__45) May 3, 2022
Livingstone bat swing is