Rajasthan Royals kept it for the very end as they edged past Punjab Kings by three wickets in Mullanpur on Saturday, April 13, 2024.
On a pitch that was difficult to score big runs, Punjab were reduced to 103 for 6 in the 17th over before Ashutosh Sharma and Liam Livingstone found the boundaries in the death overs to take their team to 147 for 8, a par total given the conditions.
Rajasthan started their reply strongly. Their chase was staggered in the middle of the innings as they lost wickets at regular intervals. However, the West Indian duo of Rovman Powelll and Shimron Hetmyer clobbered the bowling and the latter eventually took the team home with one ball to spare.
The best batters on the night...
Yashasvi Jaiswal
On a wicket that was two paced, the batters were bound to have a tough outing. Jaiswal who until the game on Saturday, had seemingly lost his form -- in five matches he had scored just 63 runs -- found his touch.
Chasing 148 on that track was always going to be tricky and Rajasthan needed their openers to fire. And although they started off strongly, Jaiswal and his opening partner Tanuj Kotian -- making his IPL debut -- did not really take to the attack.
Jaiswal hit just three fours in the Powerplay overs, but he regained his touch. There was elegance and timing in his strokes as he flicked Kagiso Rabada for a four over mid wicket and then drilled a boundary down the ground off Arshdeep Singh.
After the initial six overs, Jaiswal was happy to deal in singles and twos and at the halffway stage RR were 66 for 1.
Jaiswal never really got to play the big strokes and eventually miscued a shot and was caught at third man to be dismissed for 39 off 28. His innings included just four boundaries but he gave the team a decent start.
Rajasthan will also be happy to have their premier opener back among the runs.
Rovman Powell
Rajasthan were comfortably placed at 83 for 2 during their chase. They needed just 65 runs from 48 balls, a comfortable equation given Rajasthan's talented batting line-up.
However, with the pitch playing as it did, slow and tacky, Punjab'S bowlers tried to exploit the conditions well and Rajasthan lost wickets at regular intervals. From 82 for 2 they slumped to 115 for 5 in the 18th over.
Only a miracle could save Rajasthan the blushes and they did that and how!
Powell playing his first match this season, came and showed why he is rated so highly. He played to the situation, put on his skates and scored three runs off his first two deliveries. He batted with presence of mind to hand the strike to his more aggressive partner at the other end Shimron Hetmyer.
With 20 needed off 12 balls, Powell began the 19th over by clobberiing Sam Curran for back-to-back fours to bring the equation down to 12 off 10 balls before he top edged the ball to the 'keeper.
The West Indian damaged Curran's bowling figures while scoring an invaluable 11 runs off 5 deliveries to tilt the scales back in Rajasthan's favour, keeping them in the hunt.
Shimron Hetmyer
This maverick West Indian batter has brought joy and pain in equal measure to teams and fans alike. He has over the years in the IPL made a name for himself as a finisher and now wears that badge with pride. He exhibited that in his match-winning 10-ball cameo to take his team over the line.
Hetmyer (10-ball 27 came) in to bat with Royals still 34 runs adrift the target after 17 overs. He took two singles off the first two balls he faced but once Powell joined him in the middle, he hit Harshal Patel for a four over mid wicket before smoking the next ball for a six.
Although Powell and Keshav Maharaj walked back to the dugout in the next over, Hetmyer kept his cool as Rajasthan now needed 10 from the last over.
Arshdeep started the over with two yorkers, making that two dots but the next ball was a half-volley that Hetmyer latched onto and smashed it over long on for a six!
Hetmyer was gifted a couple next ball thanks to butter-fingered Curran who couldn't pick the ball up cleanly in the deep. Hetmyer held his nerve to spot the leg side full toss and smack it over fine leg for a six for the winning runs.
All it took for Hetmyer was a cool head, 3 sixes and 1 four to land his team to victory and rightfully win himself the Player of the Match award.
Ashutosh Sharma
With each passing game, Ashutosh Sharma makes his contributions count.
Punjab were in a hole during their innings, tottering at 103 for 6 at one stage. Jitesh Sharma and Shashank Singh were back in the dugout with only the tail left, but Ashutosh (31 off 16 balls) came on as an impact player and what a difference he made!
Ashutosh forced the pace of the game at the backend, doing some lone heavylifting and striking at 193.75. In the 19th over he was dropped by Sanju Samson who got into a mix-up with another fielder and made them pay.
He first hammered Avesh Khan for a maximum before taking a couple. He then made room and smashed the next one over long off for a six.
He kept the strike and took a boundary off Trent Boult in the final over. Thanks to his long range hitting, Punjab got close to a par total.
Liam Livingstone
Coming back into the tournament after recovering from a quad injury, Livingstone helped Punjab up the ante at the death.
He came onto bat when PBKS were 70 for 5 after just 12 overs. The England all-rounder took three overs to settle down before hitting his first boundary.
With five overs to go, he shifted gears and smashed Kuldeep Sen for a four and a six in the 17th over.
Livingstone hit another four and ran hard between the wickets before being unfortunately run out for 21 off 14. His innings set it up for Ashutosh to land the final blows to the Rajasthan attack.
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