Short scores: Kings of Punjab 221/6 (KL Rahul 91, Deepak Hooda 64, Chetan Sakariya 3/31) beating Rajasthan Royals 217/7 (Sanju Samson 119, Riyan Parag 25, Arshdeep Singh 3/35) of 4 runs
Punjab Kings (PBKS) overcame a spectacular Rajasthan Royals (RR) challenge, led by stunning Sanju Samson, and came away victorious in a high-scoring thriller in Match 4 of the VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai yesterday .
PBKS captain KL Rahul led from the front with a definitive beat of 91 before Arshdeep Singh defended 13 runs in the last over, helping the side seal a 4 run victory.
Chasing a humorous total of 221, RR needed a powerful and explosive start from their openers. But they were denied the same with Mohammad Shami and Arshdeep Singh holding their own bowls to dismiss Ben Stokes and Manan Vohra respectively.
Samson and Jos Buttler had a mountain of runs to climb, but they didn’t let the pressure of early wickets affect them.
Buttler attacked Riley Meredith in the fourth over, welcoming the right arm controller in the IPL with four consecutive fours. Sanju Samson then creamed two fours in the sixth over off Arshdeep as RR moved to 59/2 at the end of the powerplay.
Jhye Richardson was back into the attack after surrendering 13 runs in the first over, and successfully eliminating the dangerous Buttler, cleverly cheating the right-hand man with a slower delivery.
The RR sprinter, though, continued to play his shots with the help of his supreme timing and hit fifty in his first appearance as IPL captain.
Shivam Dube, who joined Samson, stayed a short while in the crease after nailing the depths, giving Arshdeep his second wicket of the pubs.
With six laps to go, Riyan Parag smashed the ball right from ball one, making it easier for her spinner at the other end. There was no shortage of entertainment as the Samson-Parag duo were on a roll, hammering 20 runs off the 16th over to be bowled by Murugan Ashwin.
With 48 required off the last four overs, skipper Rahul brought Shami back into the attack and the ruler managed to capture Riyan Parag’s vital wicket in his final match of the match.
The RR skipper didn’t stop though as the right-hander picked up a magnificent century, becoming the first batsman to get a cent on the appearance of IPL captaincy.
However, PBKS sacked Rahul Tewatia as Meredith opted for his IPL wicket before getting married in the last but one.
Samson had laid the foundation and now had the challenge to finish the inning for the team with 13 runs required off the final six deliveries.
Arshdeep, who had already scalded two wickets in the contest, had the ultimate responsibility to bowl the final over. The left-arm ruler bowed wonderfully and his speed varied to perfection. With 5 runs required off the last ball, Samson broke the ball in the air, into the depths and Deepak Hooda took superb catch, helping PBKS win a nail-biting game.
Earlier, PBKS were put into bats. PBKS ‘strong and promising duo – sprinter KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal – were in action, cutting 21 runs off the first two overs.
However, Chetan Sakaria, who was playing his IPL game before getting married, provided an early breakthrough for the Royals, dismissing Agarwal for 14 in the third over.
Chris Gayle then joined Rahul, who kicked a boundary off Mustafizur Rahman, as PBKS finished the powerplay at 42/1.
Rahul found life in the 7th over after being dropped by Ben Stokes in the field, off Shreyas Gopal bowling.
The boundaries continued to flow off the bat for Rahul and Gayle as the duo played some crisp shots, adding 24 runs in the next two overs to push RR on the back.
RR and Riyan Parag, who had Gayle’s big wicket like Stokes, who were long-term in position, desperately needed a wicket that dived in front of her and grabbed a stunner to make up for her earlier fall.
Rahul, however, was going strong at one end, as he bagged his first fifty of the season in style with a max in the 13th over.
Hooda joined the party and got started in no time, tying 5 huge sixes over the 13th and 14th over. He first smashed Shivam Dube’s two six-speeds, then took Shreyas Gopal to the cleaners, with three sixes.
PBKS was in a strong position at 161-2, with five overs to go. The Royals were struggling to pick up wickets with Hooda and Rahul eying to finish on a high note. The devastating duo added 26 runs off the next two overs before Hooda’s fine pubs came to an end, in an attempt to clear the ropes once again.
Nicholas Pooran did not disturb the scorers after the left-hander went out for a first ball duck, thanks to a spectacular catch by Sakariya, who continued to shine on his first appearance.
The PBKS sprinter, at the other end, marched into the nineties but RR finally got their man, after a great field job by Tewatia. While Sakariya scalped two wickets in the final over, PBKS ended their innings with a staggering 221/6 total.
