A complete batting performance – that is
what you can call Rajasthan Royals’ chase against Punjab. We were set 186 to
win after a languid 99 by Chris Gayle. Our batsmen took the attack to the
Punjab bowlers from the word go. All five who went out to bat crossed 20 runs,
the first time this has happened in the IPL. The commanding chase has helped
improve our net run rate and more importantly taken us level with Punjab &
Kolkata on 12 points, as we rise to number 5 in the table.
After a successive run of losing tosses,
one went Smith’s way, and he elected to bowl without any hesitation. Varun
Aaron came into the playing XI for Ankit Rajpoot, boosting the bowling with
some pace. There was familiarity in the way proceedings got underway for
Rajasthan Royals with the ball. Archer ripped through some quick deliveries to
KL Rahul, who negotiated them rather well. However, when Mandeep Singh got on
strike, he was welcomed by a feisty short one right at him. He got into an
awkward position, took his eyes off and gloved the ball. Ben Stokes came
charging in from point and clutched the ball before it touched the grass.
Rahul was joined by Chris Gayle. Archer got
only one ball at Gayle in his second over, a sharp bouncer that Gayle quietly
evaded. He got going off Varun Aaron & Kartik Tyagi’s bowling though,
picking up some effortless fours & sixes, with Rahul. Gayle was dropped off
Aaron when Parag & Uthappa converged at the square leg fence. Parag went
for the catch, but having Uthappa running backwards wouldn’t have helped him.
At the end of the Powerplay, Kings XI had notched up 53/1.
The duo had to contend with some smart
bowling by the Royals. However, they ensured that a boundary was scored off
most of the middle overs. Tyagi’s first two overs proved to be expensive, as he
conceded 22 runs. Tewatia & Stokes however, kept things rather tight with
their variations. Gayle received a huge reprieve when he miscued a Tewatia ball
straight up towards the mid-on region. Tewatia ran backwards, while Stokes had
the opportunity to run in from long on and complete the catch. The latter
didn’t come in the way of the unstoppable bowler and the catch was not
completed. In hindsight, it would have been easier for Stokes to run in and attempt
the take.
With the partnership crossing 100, Smith
was forced to bring Archer back into the attack. The over went for a bit as
Rahul & Gayle hit a four each, the latter’s more of a streaky one though.
The much-needed wicket came in the next over, when Rahul looked to smash one
over mid-wicket. He couldn’t get enough and the shot ended as a simple catch
taken by Tewatia.
Nicholas Pooran walked in and got off the
blocks with a couple of big hits off Aaron, one of them off a Free Hit. He then
punished Tyagi as well, spoiling what would have been a quiet over in the
death. Stokes’ final over was taken for a four & a six by Gayle, but he
managed to dismissed Pooran, thanks to a smart catch by Tewatia at deep square
leg. The ball seemed to be sailing over his head, but a well-timed jump ensured
that he had the ball in his palms & didn’t lose balance. Stokes finished
with 2/32, his best bowling figures of the season.
Archer was given the responsibility to bowl
the final over. Gayle hit a six off a full toss to get himself to 99. Archer
then responded with a yorker that went through Gayle’s defences, dismissing him
on the cursed number. The duo shook hands as Gayle walked back after a
wonderful knock. Kings XI managed to put up 185 on the board. The Rajasthan
Royals bowlers did well to keep them under 200, especially after a century
stand between Gayle & KL Rahul.
The Royals openers played some fantastic
shots in the Powerplay. Stokes picked up a handy boundary off the final ball of
the first over. He followed it up with his trademark cut through cover-point
off Shami. Uthappa joined in with a stupendous pull shot off Shami over the
fine leg fence. The third over saw a couple of boundaries off Stokes’ blade and
the Royals were on 31/0 after 3.
Stokes seemed to be carrying on from where
he’d left of in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. He made some room and threaded a shortish
ball from Ashwin through cover. That was followed by a picture-perfect loft
over the straight fence for six. He wasn’t done yet. Stokes walked across, then
sat down and swept Ashwin for a six over square leg. He picked up 16 runs off
the leg-spinner’s first over.
Such was Stokes’ confidence that he was
backing away off Shami, exposing all his stumps and cracking the ball through
the covers. He did it again in the 5th over off the pacer. Uthappa
nearly got out in the same fashion as he did in the previous game. His
short-arm pull fell just short of the mid-on fielder.
Stokes went after his England team-mate in
the 6th over. He lofted Chris Jordan over the long off fence with
ease to get to his half-century off 24 balls. However, the merry-making came to
an end as he bunted a full ball straight to Hooda at mid-off. Stokes got us off
to the perfect start in the chase before walking back. Sanju Samson walked in
& finished the Powerplay with a powerful boundary through point, to take
Rajasthan Royals’ score to 66/1.
Ashwin & Bishnoi managed to hold the
lid over the scoring rate briefly after the Powerplay. Uthappa broke loose at
the end of the 7th over with a cheeky reverse sweep to the third man
fence. Samson treated us with a towering six as Arshdeep came back into the
attack. He stood tall and pulled the ball massively over mid-wicket. He
finished the over with an intelligently guided stroke past short third man for
a boundary.
Samson went after Bishnoi in the 10th
over. He went with the spin, lofting the ball minimum effort and perfect timing
over the cover fence. The 100 came up for the Royals in the 10th
over. Uthappa went down on his knee and disdainfully dispatched a flat six over
the mid-wicket fence. He tried to repeat it, but this time found Pooran at the
edge of the ropes. Uthappa played a very good hand as he departed on 30 with
the score reading 111/2.
Smith decided to get going quickly. He
started with a lap to fine leg for two and followed it up with a drag sweep
through mid-wicket for four off Bishnoi. Samson freed his arms as Ashwin
dropped the length short and bludgeoned the ball over mid-wicket for six. He
went to the other side of the field to another short one, cutting the ball to
the point fence to finish the 13th with 132/2 on the board.
Rajasthan Royals needed 54 off the final 7 overs.
Jordan was at the receiving end of Samson’s
finesse. The Englishman strayed on Samson’s pads and was glanced to the fine
leg fence with utmost ease. Smith finished the Jordan over by smartly guiding a
yorker outside off, fine to the third man fence, beating the fielder there as
well. The equation was being brought down with some pace, as the Royals now
needed just 42 off 36 balls.
With the chase under control, Smith &
Samson went for a risky run. Samson was running to the striker’s end where the
direct hit was scored. Sanju’s dive didn’t help, as he was caught a few metres
out. He had to walk back two runs short of what would have been another amazing
50. Buttler came out and went through a few nervous minutes as KXIP took a
review after Bishnoi’s appeal was turned down. The ball landed well outside leg
stump, and the umpire’s decision was upheld. Buttler then got off the mark on
the following delivery. The Bishnoi over saw only 2 runs being scored.
Jordan was just about completing a quiet 16th
over, but Buttler opened his shoulders to send the ball packing into the stands
beyond long on. Whatever little pressure was there on the Royals, trickled away
after that humungous blow. Smith decided to take Shami on and started the 17th
over with two consecutive boundaries. He lofted the first one mid-off and then
used his wrists to get one away to the mid-wicket fence. He picked up a third
boundary with a smooth ramp to the fine leg fence. Buttler finished the over
with a hoick that was timed well enough to reach the fence. We took 19 runs off
that over to bring the equation down to 11 off 18 balls.
Buttler brought his power, quick hands
& brute force into play as he hammered Jordan beyond the sight-screen for a
gigantic six. It seemed like a golf swing. Jordan bowled a wide that eventually
took us home in just 17.3 overs. We completed a second consecutive chase with a
batting performance filled with authority.
What stood out in the chase for Rajasthan
Royals is that all the 5 batsmen who got an opportunity made handy
contributions. The lowest score was Buttler’s unbeaten 22. A Stokes -powered
start got us going & Uthappa provided able support by being part of two
half-century stands with Stokes & then Samson. Samson played another
magical knock, as Smith & Buttler finished off the chase in style.
The Royals have marched to 12 points and
sit on number 5 in the points table. Our net run rate has improved as the chase
ended with 15 balls to spare. The fight for the fourth spot has intensified
with yesterday & today’s result. All eyes will be on the matches that
precede our next game on Sunday. We hope for the results to go away and then
walk out in Dubai to face KKR. Our hopes to make it to the Playoffs are still
alive and kicking.
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