After Warrier's three-wicket burst gave GT an early advantage, they would have expected Rashid, Noor Ahmad, and R Sai Kishore to strangle DC in the middle overs. But Axar and Pant kept all three in check.
Against Rashid, they attacked only the loose balls, half-trackers or wide deliveries, taking 37 runs off his four wicketless overs. Against Noor, they attacked to leave him with an economy of 12 in three overs.
Such was the dominance of Pant and Axar in their 113-run stand that Gill did not go to Sai Kishore - her player of the match in the previous game - until the 19th over, fearing the match-up of two left-handers against a left-arm spinner. When Sai Kishore came to bat in the penultimate over of the innings, after Axar's dismissal, against right-arm spinner Tristan Stubbs, he was hit for six, four, six and four to concede 22 runs.
Gill opted for the experience of Mohit Sharma over Warrier in the 20th over, and Pant owned the encounter. When Mohit went full and wide, Pant slapped him over the off side. When Mohit went short or slow, Pant hung back and deposited him down the leg side. And when Mohit missed his yorker, Pant sent it over midwicket. Pant finished on 88 after a 31-run last over and his attack left Mohit with the worst figures in IPL history - 0 for 73 - with GT needing 225 to win.