IPL 2023: In Sunday’s Indian Premier League match, Rajasthan Royals defeated Gujarat Titans by three wickets.
As Rajasthan Royals defeated the defending champions by three wickets with four balls remaining in an Indian Premier League match on Sunday.
West Indies batsman Shimron Hetmyer unleashed his full rage on Gujarat Titans. The Royals now lead the table with eight points. Breaking the curse of not having defeated the Hardik Pandya-led team in three outings.
Given that the 2008 IPL champions only scored 26 runs during the powerplay. They lost Yashasvi Jaiswal (4) and Jos Buttler (0). At one point were reduced to 4 for 2, and the triumph will be even sweeter.
Hetmyer, 26, changed the game’s complexion by smashing an undefeated 26-ball 56. At the time of the score, the team led by Sanju Samson seemed to be on the upswing.
The score included two fours and five maximums. Samson blasted 60 balls out of 32.
The pacers for the Gujarat Titans were Mohammed Shami and Hardik Pandya. Had bowled superbly as they made early inroads and put the Royals in a difficult situation.
With 177 not seeming to be an impressive all-out to protect by any measuring stick. Against a group loaded with batting stars like Buttler, Jaiswal, Samson, and Devdutt Padikkal. The most ideal choice for Shami and Pandya was to make the ball talk.
Long after Shubman Gill (45) and Pandya (28) had teamed up to save the Titans with their 59-run partnership.
The captain bowled tirelessly alongside Mohammed Shami, whose blistering pace and swing perplexed the RR top-order hitters.
In order to give Gill practice catching in slips. Pandya persuaded Jaiswal to play an absurd short with the batter opening the face of the bat to a delivery outside the off stump.
Buttler made a tentative commitment to a stroke he would not normally play as pressure mounted in the powerplay and the Royals’ high expectations in those crucial six overs.
The unenviable task of rebuilding the house from scratch fell on Padikkal and Samson. The Royals powerplay score of 26 runs is evidence of how long Pandya and Shami bowled.
But then the rebuilding work really started, with Samson and Padikkal (26) putting on a 43-run partnership before the skipper and Riyan Parag put on a 59-run stand (5).
The partnership between Hetmyer and Dhruv Jurel then flourished toward the end, with the West Indian scoring the majority of the goals.
Hetmyel finished the job with a massive six, though there were some anxious moments when Ashwin and Jurel both fell quickly.
The final flourish was provided by South African left-handed player David Mill operator (46 off 30 balls) and Abhinav Manohar (27 off 13). Who combined for a 45-run score that included three boundaries and five maximums.
At a time when the powerplay score appeared to be terrible, Gill (45 points) and Pandya (28 points) joined forces. With two players back in the dugout, the champions appeared also to be in danger.
The 59-run partnership helped the defending champions unleash a full-scale assault in the final overs, giving the match new life.
With 42 for 2 close to the completion of the powerplay and Wriddhiman Saha (4) and young Sai Sudarshan (20) going financially. It was given to the captain and one of his most trusted associates to get something going for the Titans.
At first, Gill played the waiting game. Scoring with an effortless boundary through extra cover off a length delivery from New Zealand pace bowler Trent Boult in the final ball of the third over.
Pandya and Gill decided to give extra attention to Adam Zampa’s and Ravichandran Ashwin’s seventh and eighth overs, respectively.
The Australian bowler let up a six and a four to the Titans captain in the seventh. Giving the pair 17 runs in the eight over Ashwin delivered.