David Miller smashed three consecutive sixes in the final over to give the Gujarat Titans a seven-wicket win over the Rajasthan Royals in the first IPL qualifier on Tuesday.
With 16 needed off six balls, the Proteas batsman climbed into Prasidh Krishna in front of a capacity Eden Gardens crowd.
Miller finished with 68* off 38 balls while Titans skipper Hardik Pandya was unbeaten on 40 off 27.
WATCH: Killer Miller smashes 6, 6, 6
Afghanistan spin wizard Rashid Khan set up the win with figures of 0-15 in four overs that restricted Rajasthan to 188-6 despite Jos Buttler’s 56-ball 89.
Gujarat, one of two new teams alongside the Lucknow Super Giants in the expanded 10-team IPL, now await their opponents for the title clash on Sunday at their home ground Ahmedabad.
The second qualifier on Friday will decide the other finalists.
Rajasthan, who ended second on the table topped by Gujarat, have another shot of making the final when they meet the winner of Wednesday’s eliminator between Lucknow and the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Gujarat lost Wriddhiman Saha for nought off New Zealand quick bowler Trent Boult off the second ball of the chase, with the crowd silenced by the departure of their local hero.
Shubman Gill (35) and Matthew Wade (35) then took charge, taking the attack to the opposition bowlers as Gujarat reached 64-1 in six overs of the powerplay when only two fielders are allowed outside the inner circle.
The right-left batting pair of Gill and Wade put on 71 before a mix-up between the two had Gill comfortably run out.
The Australian soon followed, slapping Obed McCoy to deep mid-wicket where Buttler made no mistake.
Pandya stood firm and found able company in Miller, who reached his 12th half-century of the IPL, as the two put the chase back on track.
Earlier, Rajasthan started cautiously before Sanju Samson made 47 off 26 balls, adding 68 with Buttler.
Samson hit five fours and three sixes before falling to left-arm spinner Sai Kishore in his attempt to get another hit over the fence, only to get caught at long off.
Khan kept a lid on the opposition scoring with his leg-spin as he choked the opposition of runs during his four overs.
Buttler, who leads the tournament batting chart with 718 runs including three centuries, never quite hit his best form as he hit 12 fours and two sixes.
