Rajasthan Royals beat Lucknow Super Giants by three runs
Sanju Samson’s Rajasthan Royals beat Lucknow Super Giants by three runs in a thrilling match played at Wankhede Stadium last night. With this, Rajasthan jumped to the top of the points table with six points from four matches. Lucknow, who lost their second match in five matches, dropped to fifth with six points.
Batting first, the Royals scored 165 for six in the allotted 20 overs before Lucknow’s were bowled out for 162/8. Shimron Hetmeyer’s unbeaten 59 off 36 balls, including six sixes and a four, was the highlight of Rajasthan’s innings. Ravichandran Ashwin scored 28 off 23 balls before Ryan Parag retired in the last two overs.
De Kok (39), Deepak Hooda (25), Marcus Stones (38 *) and Krunal Pandya (22) were the main contributors to Punjab’s victory.
Game turns
Buttler (13), Sanju (13), Devdutt (29) and Razi (4) were all out as Hetmeyer’s innings helped the Royals reach 67/4 in the over. The Royals should first thank Krunal Pandya for dropping a minor catch by Hetmeyer early in the innings.
2. Ashwin, who was instrumental in elevating the scoreboard by rotating the strike to Hetmeyer, also converted for Ryan Parag, who was able to throw in the final overs. Parag was out for eight off four balls, including a six.
3. Trent Boult gave Rajasthan a great start by dismissing KL Rahul and Krishnappa Gautam in the first two balls of the innings. With this, the rhythm of Lucknow’s chase went awry.
4. Then Chahal Krunal dismissed Ayush Badoni and De Kok, who led the new innings, sent Pandya and Chameera back to put pressure on Lucknow.
5. Lucknow needed just 15 runs to win when Sanju bowled Kuldeep Sen in the last over of the first IPL match. Zen deserves special credit for throwing three dot balls where any bowler is afraid when Marcus Stones, the super finisher of Australian cricket, is at the crease.