WATCH: Rahul Tewatia sets the stage on fire with a hat-trick of sixes off Anrich Nortje in GT-DC IPL 2023 tie

Defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) lost to bottom-ranked Delhi Capitals (DC) in match 44 of the IPL 2023 edition on Tuesday (May 02). Opting to bat first, David Warner-led Gujarat restricted Delhi to 130 for 8 with Mohammed Shami returning with 4 for 11. In reply, GT was tottering at 32 for 4 but came back in the contest with three successive sixes off Rahul Tewatiain the penultimate overbefore Ishant Sharma held his nerves and used all his experience to stun GT by five runs.

Tewatia, who has been going for the big shots from ball one this season, came out to bat in the 18th over with GT reduced to 94 for 5. He had a stern task in hand and was up for it as he came all guns blazing. The left-hander blasted three successive sixes off Anrich Nortje, in the 19th over, to bring down the equation to 12 off the last six deliveries, when it was 33 needed off the final 12 balls. Here's the video of Tewatia setting the stage on fire in the 19th over with his big hits:

In the final over, Tewatia was outfoxed by Ishant's change-ups as he fell for a stunning seven-ball 20 -- with three sixes -- as Gujarat lost by five runs. With this much-needed win for David Warner & Co., Delhi keep their playoff hopes alive. Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat remain at the top with six wins from nine games (12 points).

Warner opined on Tewatia's knock at the post-match presentation and said, "I was nervous when Tewatia was going off, he has a reputation for that kind of stuff. Anrich is our most consistent death bowler, but couldn't get it right today. But Ishant was so clear with what he wanted to execute for us."