'Test Championship mei keeping karega kya?' - Fans react as Wriddhiman Saha slams 81 off 43 against LSG in IPL 2023

On Sunday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the Gujarat Titans opening batsman Wriddhiman Saha blasted a 20-ball half-century against Lucknow Super Giants in an IPL 2023 encounter. The 38-year-old shredded the Lucknow Super Giants pacers in the PowerPlay while in rampaging form. With a six-over long-off off Yash Thakur in the sixth over, Saha reached his fifty-run milestone. Shubman Gill, a non-striker, had just 15 at the time.

Wriddhiman Saha now holds the joint third-fastest IPL 2023 fifty in 20 balls. In this season of the IPL, Jos Buttler, Shardul Thakur, and Shivam Dube have all hit fifty-strikes off the same number of balls. Nicholas Pooran currently owns the record for this season's quickest half-century, coming off only 15 balls. Ajinkya Rahane, who scored a fifty against Kolkata Knight Riders in 19 balls, is the man after him.

Gujarat Titans (GT) scored 78 runs in the powerplay

Saha made his intentions known from the first over by hitting left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan for back-to-back fours. In the subsequent over, he attacked Avesh Khan, hauling him for a six and a four off consecutive deliveries. Saha didn't back down when captain Krunal Pandya threw himself into the fray. He moved inside out over the covers to find the fence and retreated from the outside leg.

Saha, who led a quick-fire opening combination with Shubman Gill in aggression, reached his season's first half-century in just 20 balls by hammering Yash Thakur for a huge six. His quick 50 helped GT get off to a fantastic start in a vital home game, scoring 78 runs while on the powerplay. With this performance, Saha tied Kyle Mayers of LSG and Punjab Kings at the PCA Stadium in Mohali for the best individual score in the powerplay with 54 runs off 23 balls.

Ultimately, Saha was dismissed for 81 off 43 balls in the first ball of the 13^th over by Avesh Khan. His innings was decorated with 10 boundaries and four maximums. He added 142 runs for the first-wicket partnership with Shubman Gill.

Here's how fans reacted:  

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— Nakli Bhai (@CoronaOp4) May 7, 2023

Missed a deserving 💯
But what a selfless knock 👌

— Reingxx (@Ayush90638218) May 7, 2023

Kisine story daali thi shayad 🤡🤣, uske baad out hogaya 🤣

— Abhinav 🇮🇳🤞 (@Abhiiii321g) May 7, 2023

Virat Kohli enjoying the batting of Saha 🔥 pic.twitter.com/gmYjF2YUvJ

— AB (@SportyMehar) May 7, 2023

Better knock than any knocks Rohit has played in IPL Cricket history to be honest

— Karthik (@karthikS_5) May 7, 2023

Better than some statpadders

— j_inx (@the___________9) May 7, 2023

And there is chokli who scoring 45 balls fifty 😂

— The Armor (@crazyleader049) May 7, 2023

What a monstrous inning 💙

— Kriti Sharma (@Kriti_Sharma01) May 7, 2023