Debutant Connolly guides Punjab to narrow IPL win over Gujarat
A tidy bowling performance, spearheaded by Vijaykumar Vyshak, had helped Punjab restrict Gujarat to 162-6 at the New Chandigarh Stadium after Shreyas Iyer opted to chase.
Last year's finalists Punjab appeared headed for a straightforward victory when opener Prabhsimran Singh and Connolly set about the bowling, adding 76 for the second wicket in only 49 deliveries.
Gujarat had struck only three sixes in their entire innings while Punjab had four in the first four overs alone as they mounted a blistering assault.
But the belated introduction of Prasidh Krishna, Gujarat's impact player, triggered a dramatic twist.
Prasidh, brought on by captain Shubman Gill only in the 13th over, took three for three in 10 deliveries to spark a collapse that saw Punjab lose four for eight in 16 balls.
"These things happen in the IPL, when you lose wickets back-to-back," said Punjab skipper Shreyas.
However, Shreyas need not have worried as the 22-year-old Connolly showcased a maturity that belied his age, keeping his composure and eking out small but crucial partnerships with South African Marco Jansen and compatriot Xavier Bartlett.
"To put that performance in tonight, very happy. I'm just more of a tempo player, feel the flow of my hands, don't hit too many big sixes," said Connolly, the Player of the Match, two of whose sixes came off Afghanistan leggie Rashid Khan.
"That was the first time I played Rashid, was nice to get the win."
Fittingly it was Connolly, who finished unbeaten on 72 off 44 deliveries with five fours and as many sixes, who brought up victory with five balls to spare as he guided Punjab to 165-7.
Earlier, Gujarat had got off to a frenetic start with Gill striking three fours in the second over from Bartlett.
Gill and Sai Sudharsan, last season's most prolific opening pair, added 37 before Jansen provided the breakthrough, having Sudharsan caught on the pull for 13.
Gujarat went at nine an over in the Powerplay but as the ball got older and softer, the scoring rate dipped.
Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, the leading wicket-taker in the tournament's history, led the charge, having Gill caught at deep mid-wicket for 39 with a well tossed-up delivery and following it up with the scalp of Jos Buttler, who battled through to 38.
Gill and Buttler had put on 46 to offset the loss of Sudharsan, and Glenn Phillips attempted to infuse some urgency, but Gujarat struggled to impose themselves.
Vyshak, using the slower ball to great effect, cut a swathe through the middle order while Jansen was parsimonious, conceding just 20 in his four overs.
Despite an 11-ball final over from Arshdeep Singh, Gujarat added only 34 in the last five, and it was simply not enough once Connolly got into the act.