Dubai: Rajasthan Royals (RR) beat Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by five wickets and returned to winning ways in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday (October 11).
Rahul Tewatia and Riyan Parag, who was brought back into the side, came to the party as Royals beat SRH. Bowling first, Royals did not let SRH openers David Warner and Jonny Bairstow make a flying start, admitting just six runs from the first three overs. While Shreyas Gopal conceded 7 in the fourth over, RR dismissed Bairstow in the fifth over.
To every one that stood by us, this one's for you! 💓#SRHvRR | #HallaBol | #IPL2020 | #RoyalsFamily pic.twitter.com/OyHAhYNuYf
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) October 11, 2020
The right-hander, who had hit a six over square leg, went for another big hit, but caught by a diving Sanju Samson as Kartik Tyagi gave RR their first breakthrough.
Warner and Manish Pandey drived SRH past fifty in the 10th over and completed the fifty-run partnership for the second wicket in the 11th over.
SRH were looking to up the ante and in that process lost Warner in the 15th over after Archer interrupted the timber to dismiss the SRH skipper for 48.
In the next over, RR almost had their third wicket, but Pandey managed to get through as Tyagi misconceived the catch. Then in the same over, the SRH batsman then hit a six to move into the 40s and take SRH closer to 110.
Earlier in the day, Pandya completed 3000 IPL runs, brought up his half-century in the 17th over. But, he departed in the next over as Jaydev Unadkat got the SRH batsman out for 54 with a measured delivery.
Though, SRH scored 34 off the last two overs, with Kane Williamson hitting two sixes and Priyam Garg contributing with a six and a four to take their team to 158/4 at the close of 20 overs.
In the chase, RR opted to open the innings with Ben Stokes, who was playing his first game of the season after completing the mandatory quarantine period, and Jos Buttler.
While in the first over, the England all-rounder hit a four, he splitted one back onto the stumps in the next over as Khaleel Ahmed struck. SRH kept things compact, giving away not more than 14 runs in the first three overs.
While Jos Buttler hit a four and a six in the fourth over, RR lost Steve Smith in the same over via run-out. Buttler was the next man to get out in the next over as Khaleel picked his second wicket after Bairstow took a good low catch.
Then, Robin Uthappa and Sanju Samson together added 37 runs to take RR past 60, but the partnership was shattered in the 10th over as Rashid Khan confined Uthappa before the wickets.
All his experience needed today. Let's go Robbie. 💪#SRHvRR | #HallaBol | #RoyalsFamily | #IPL2020 pic.twitter.com/PdWDOSZpsI
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) October 11, 2020
Rashid picked his second wicket of the match as he had Sanju Samson caught behind the wickets for 28.
In the end, RR were 94/5 of the 15th over and needed some big hits to score 65 runs to secure a win and Riyan Parag and Rahul Tewatia did just that.
While Riyan Parag dived a six and two fours, Tewatia hit a six as RR scored 29 runs in the course of the next two overs.
The 18th oversaw Tewatia going after Rashid, hitting three fours – two of which were of reverse-sweeps. The left-hander also enjoyed a stroke of luck in the same over as he survived a stumping after the bails did not fall after the ball ricocheted off Bairstow’s feet onto the stumps.
RR required 24 runs from the last two overs and Rahul Tewatia a four and a six as RR scored 14 off the succeeding over bowled by T Natarajan.
RR required 8 in the final over to win the game and it all came down to 2 from 2. But Riyan Parag closed out the game with a six as RR lodged their third win, with a ball to spare.
Brief Scores: Rajasthan Royals 163/5 (Rahul Tewatia 45*, Riyan Parag 42*; Rashid Khan 2/25) beat Sunrisers Hyderabad 158/4 (Manish Pandey 54, David Warner 48; Jofra Archer 1/25) by five wickets.
