Mumbai, (Asian independent) Skipper Sanju Samson (54 off 49) struck a measured half-century and Shimron Hetmyer (27 off 13 balls) contributed a breezy cameo as Rajasthan Royals could manage a below-par 152/5 in 20 overs against Kolkata Kinght Riders in Match 47 of IPL 2022 at the wankhede Stadium here on Monday.
ASked to bat first by KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer, Rajasthan Royals struggled to maintain a good scoring rate on a pitch that was hosting its second match after Sunday’s afternoon clash between Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings. Though the pitch looked dry and firm, it was slow and helped the spinners a bit, and Rajasthan Royals’ batters barring Samson and Hetmyer failed to get going.
They lost opener Devdutt Padikkal early as he tried to work one pitched around middle stump towards leg, mistimes it and Umesh Yadav stretched to complete a catch on second attempt off his own bowling.
Jos Buttler, Rajasthan Royals’ most successful batter in IPL 2022 so far, got a start but could not capitalise on it as he was out for 22 (off 25 balls), trying to accelerate after the cautious start. Buttler gave Tim Southee the charge only to see Shivam Mavi run in to his right from long-on and complete a superb catch.
Skipper Samson took over the job of scoring runs for his team as he struck some good shots but could not accelerate as wickets continued to tumble at the other end. He struck Shivam Mavi for fours off successive deliveries in the 11th over, getting the second boundary with a brilliant cut on a delivery that did not offer too much width and was fractionally short.
He had meted out the same treatment, but in a bit unconvincing manner, to Umesh Yadav in the fifth over, hitting back-to-back fours — the first one a streaky shot past the third man and the second touched Southee’s finger tips at mid-of on its way to the boundary rope.
He ended the power-play with a superb six off Anukul Roy, moving to leg and powering it over extra-cover for half-a-dozen runs. The Rajasthan Royals captain completed his half-century off 38 deliveries, hitting seven fours and one six. This was his 17th half-century in IPL and second this season.
But Rajasthan Royals struggled to maintain a good run-rate as Kolkata Knight Riders bowlers maintained good line and length.
Some lusty hitting by Shimron Hetmyer helped them to a modest score in the end.
Hetmyer blasted Southee for back-to-back sixes in the 19th over while the New Zealand pacer also helped them by bowling couple of wides as Rajasthan raised 20 runs from the over.
He remained unbeaten on 27 of 13 deliveries as Rajasthan posted a total that they may find difficult to defend.
Brief scores: Rajasthan Royals 152/5 off 20 overs (Jos Buttler 22, Sanju Samson 54, Shimron Hetmyer 27 not out; Tim Southee 2/46) against Kolkata Knight Riders.
