Fueled by Yashasvi Jaiswal's explosive innings of 104 runs off 60 balls and Sandeep Sharma's remarkable five-wicket haul, Rajasthan Royals (RR) clinched a 9-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians (MI) in Match 38 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Monday, 22 April.
In pursuit of a target of 180 runs, the Royals launched into their innings with gusto, as Jaiswal and Jos Buttler unleashed a barrage of boundaries and sixes. By the end of the powerplay, the Royals had amassed 61 runs without loss. However, their momentum was temporarily halted by rain, which interrupted play immediately after the powerplay.
Upon the resumption of the game, Piyush Chawla provided the breakthrough for Mumbai Indians by dismissing Jos Buttler in the 8th over, who departed after contributing 35 runs off 25 deliveries.
Jaiswal's Robust Century
Skipper Sanju Samson joined forces with Yashasvi Jaiswal to construct a formidable partnership, adding 109 runs off 65 balls to the scoreboard. Meanwhile, Jaiswal notched the second century of his IPL career off 59 balls in the penultimate over of the game.
As the game approached its climax, with only 4 runs required off 11 balls, the home side secured a commanding nine-wicket victory with 8 balls to spare.
Sandeep's Four-fer
Earlier, Sandeep Sharma's brilliant haul of 5-18 halted Mumbai Indians (MI) to 179/9, despite Tilak Varma's half-century.
Opting to bat first on a spin-friendly pitch, Rajasthan bowler Trent Boult struck early in the first over after getting stuck for a boundary by Rohit Sharma through a leading edge. Boult dismissed Rohit on the score of six.
It was a poor start for Mumbai, as both openers departed in the space of nine balls. Sandeep Sharma aimed full, and Ishan Kishan, looking to utilise the swing on offer, handed the ball straight through to keeper Samson. Suryakumar Yadav, after a series of boundaries against Boult, got out to Sandeep’s scrambled-seam delivery after flicking it straight to mid-wicket. Suryakumar got out on 10 runs in eight deliveries.
Chahal's Milestone
Mumbai Indians only managed to put up a score of 45/3 in the Power-play, thanks to Mohammad Nabi’s 18 runs.
Rajasthan made another first-over strike as champion bowler Yuzvendra Chahal reached the milestone of 200 wickets--first bowler in the history of IPL. Chahal's third ball gripped on a good length as Mohammad Nabi closed the face on the front foot, and it was a simple lob catch back into his waiting hands that brought up his 200th IPL wicket.
Tilak Varma and Nehal Wadhera rebuilt the innings with a steady stand of 68 runs in 41 balls as Ravichandran Ashwin completed his four overs for 31 runs and went wicketless once more having claimed just one in the tournament to date. Tilak Varma completed his fifty in 38 balls -- and at 21 years and 166 balls, he was the third youngest to 1000 IPL runs.
The Varma-Wadhera Partnership
Mumbai were 151 for 4 after 16 overs. Boult came back into attack for his last over of the spell and broke the big partnership of 99 runs between Wadhera and Verma when he outfoxed the former.
Nehal Wadhera got out scoring 49 in 24 deliveries. It was a very timely strike from Avesh Khan, who aimed full and straight with Hardik Pandya shuffling to the off-side and nailed him plumb in front with the fast full-toss. Mumbai Indians' captain got out for a run-a-ball 10.
It was a superb over from Avesh as just six runs came from it. Avesh nailed his length perfectly, and one ball later, Varma holed out to deep mid-on on the first ball of Sandeep's final over. Varma got out after scoring 65 in 45 deliveries. Gerald Coetzee then swung his bat through his first ball to pick out Shimron Hetmyer and got out on a golden duck.
Tim David finally got the strike back with three balls remaining, but his first swing was a miscue, and his second holed out to deep midwicket. Sandeep closed the over with minimal damage and returned with the stunning figures of 5-18--the best by an Indian bowler for the Royals, and on his return from injury too. Rajasthan restricted Mumbai to 179/9 after just nine runs came in the final two overs.
With inputs from IANS.
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