IPL 2022: R Ashwin Scores 50 as Rajasthan Royals Post 160/6 Against DC

R Ashwin scored his maiden IPL half-century against the Delhi Capitals.

R Ashwin scored his maiden IPL fifty for the Rajasthan Royals, who posted 160/6 in what weren’t the easiest batting conditions against the Delhi Capitals at the DY Patil Stadium. Chetan Sakariya, Anrich Nortje and Mitch Marsh picked two wickets each for Delhi.

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Batting first, the Royals had a shaky start as Chetan Sakariya was troubling the openers, especially Jos Buttler a bit. After almost dismissing him in the first over, Sakariya managed to get his man in the third over, with Buttler caught at midwicket for 7. Yashasvi Jaiswal at the other end too wasn’t able to get much of a move on and became Mitch Marsh’s victim after scoring 19 off 19.

The Royals completed the powerplay at 43/1 with Ashwin and Jaiswal unable to get too many of the big hits going. A couple of quiet overs later, Marsh had Jaiswal walking back, well caught by Lalit Yadav.

Ashwin and Devdutt Padikkal then began to pick off the boundaries slowly as the Royals got a move along. At the half way stage, they were 68/2, and soon after both the batters sent the spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, into the crowd for sixes.

In the 14^th over, Ashwin completed a well-deserved maiden half-century as RR got to 107/2 and had set up the platform for the big hitters to come in and take off. Marsh got his second wicket right after, getting Ashwin for 50 off 38 with David Warner taking a good catch to start off the 15^th over.

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Marsh and Shardul Thakur conceded 9 each as Sanju Samson and Padikkal started to improvise and attack, looking for the big finish. Samson though could not carry on and miscued one which Thakur caught well at mid-on off Anrich Nortje, sending the RR captain back to the hut for 6.

While Riyan Parag smashed Nortje for a six, he was caught by the slower one from Sakariya, who picked his second wicket. Parag tried to the clear cow corner but was caught by Rovman Powell for 9, with RR still looking for the big finish.

Padikkal attempted to accelerate after that but fell 2 runs short of a half-century as Nortje picked a second. After that, Rassie van der Dussen and Trent Boult helped the Royals to 160/6 with a 14-run stand in the final overs.