Mumbai: Rajasthan Royals (RR) registered their second consecutive victory in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. They beat the Mumbai Indians (MI) by 23 runs at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
Coming to bat first, Royals’ batter Yashavi Jaiswal got caught by Jasprit Bumrah in the third over. Jos Buttler hammered 26 runs in the fourth over as Rajasthan ended the powerplay on 48 for 2. RR skipper – Sanju Samson joined Jos Buttler as the wicket-keeper batter hurdled the half-century mark. Murugan Ashwin’s 11th over provided 21 runs as Samson and Buttler completed their fifty partnership for the third wicket.
Jos Buttler became the first centurion of this season. However, Mumbai grabbed three wickets in the penultimate over. Bumrah took the crucial wickets of Hetmyer and centurion Buttler while Ravichandran Ashwin was run out for 1. MI scalped two more wickets in the final over, as RR finished their innings with a total of 193-8.
The Rajasthan Royals’ bowling unit successfully defended the total to win the game by 23 runs. The unchanged Mumbai Indians had the challenging task of chasing a target of 194. MI were 50-2 at the end of powerplay with Kishan and Tilak Varma at the crease. The duo maintained a steady partnership and kept the runs ticking. Varma brought up the fifty partnership for the third wicket as MI were placed at 94-2 at the halfway mark. Kishan notched up his half-century but was dismissed by Trent Boult following a stunning catch by Navdeep Saini in the outfield.
Yuzvendra Chahal scalped two wickets to dismiss Tim David and Daniel Sams. MI required 50 off the final three overs. Keiron Pollard hit a four and a six each in the 18th over and got a reprieve in the penultimate over as 9 runs came from it. MI required 29 runs off the final 6 deliveries. Navdeep Saini delivered for Rajasthan in the final over and picked the wicket of Pollard as RR successfully defended their total.
Brief Scores: Rajasthan Royals 193/8 (Jos Buttler 100, Shimron Hetmyer 35; Jasprit Bumrah 3-17) beat Mumbai Indians 170/8 (Tilak Verma 61, Ishan Kishan 54; Yuzvendra Chahal 2-26) by 23 runs.
In the other match played at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, in Pune Shubman Gill and Lokie Ferguson helped Gujarat Titans (GT) beat Delhi Capitals (DC). A four-wicket haul from the New Zealand pacer secured a 14 run margin to win their second game of the season.
Opening the match, Shubman Gill hit an impressive 84 off just 46 balls to power Gujarat Titans to 171 for six. Gill struck six boundaries and four sixes during his innings. Captain Hardik Pandya (31) refilled the Gujarat Titans’ innings with a 65-run partnership for the third wicket.
Gill proved to be in imperious form during his knock tonight. Gill and Hardik denied the DC bowlers any success for 7.5 overs while adding 65 runs during that crucial period after the Titans were 44 for two in the seventh over. Hardik took a bit of time to settle down. But as he got into his grooves, he went out, hitting straight to Powell at long-on off the bowling of Ahmed. The Titans captain struck four boundaries during his 27-ball knock. David Miller and Rahul Tewatia contributed unbeaten 20 and 14 respectively.
Defending the total of 171, skipper Hardik Pandya took the wicket of Tim Seifert with his first delivery of the second over. After that, Mandeep Singh joined Prithvi Shaw to stitch a small partnership before Lokie sent back Prithvi was sent back for 10.
With two wickets down in the powerplay, DC quenched for a partnership. The game was drifting away from Delhi as Mandeep was dismissed by Lokie. However, the partnership between captain Rishabh Pant and last match’s star Lalit Yadav put DC in the driving gear. The pair took Delhi’s total near 100. Yadav got run out in the 12th over of the match, following an acrobatic effort by Abhinav Manohar.
Rovman Powell joined Rishab Pant in the middle. A small partnership was developing. so GT skipper brought back his trump card Lokie. Lokie removed dangerous-man Pant on 43. DC still kept hoping as the required rate seemed within reach. However, wickets kept tumbling as Powell stood at the non-striker’s end. Lastly, Mohammad Shami grabbed Powell on 20 to end Capital’s chase.
With this win, GT are now ranked third in the points table.
Brief Scores: Gujarat Titans 171/6 (Shubman Gill 84, Hardik Pandya 31; Mustafizur Rahman 3-23) beat Delhi Capitals 157-9 (Rishabh Pant 43, Lalit Yadav 25; Lockie Ferguson 4-28) by 6 wickets.
 registered their second consecutive victory in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 as they defeat Mumbai Indians.){kind=link}