RR WON
T20
RR beat KXIP by 4 wickets
Man of the Match - Sanju Samson
KXIP
223-2
20.0/20 Ovrs
 
226-6
19.3/20 Ovrs
RR
Indian Premier League, 2020 |Match 9 |9/27/2020
Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Commentary
  • So that is it from this unbelievable game of cricket. Rajasthan have maintained their 100 percent start to the season in a terrific fashion. Punjab, on the other hand, will be heartbroken to lose another close game. Indian T20 League action continues on Monday, 28th September as the two heavyweights of Indian cricket go head to head. Virat Kohli's Bangalore take on Rohit Sharma's defending champions, Mumbai. That game will begin at 1800 local (1400 GMT). We hope to see you for that one. Till then, goodbye and take care! 
  • For his magnificent 85 off just 42 balls, Sanju Samson pips Mayank Agarwal and Rahul Tewatia as the Player of the Match. He starts by saying that he was hitting it well for the last one year. Adds that he was confident and played his natural game. Mentions he was trying so many things but nothing was coming off.
  • Steven Smith, Rajasthan skipper, says he is happy with the team's performance. Credits Tewatia who played superbly. Mentions that 33 sixes were hit in the last game which was played here. Smith says that if we had wickets in hand, we would always have a chance. Adds that the hitting we saw in Cottrell's over is what we saw about Tewatia in the nets. Mentions that the bowlers pulled it back in the end otherwise we would have been chasing 250.
  • Stay tuned for the presentation as in a game with plenty of stars we will find out who will be awarded the Player of the Match.
  • The man who changed his own fortune and turned from zero to hero with the bat in the same innings, Rahul Tewatia is now caught for a quick chat. He is all smiles and says that halfway through his innings was the worst 20 balls that he has ever played but is happy that after that he turned it around. Shares that he was hitting the ball well in the nets and believed in his abilities. Adds that he was not hitting the ball cleanly and the dugout was curious as he hits them really well. Feels that it was a matter of getting one over the rope and he got his confidence. Informs that the coach sent him to target the spinners but he failed to do that but is glad that he targeted the other bowlers successfully in the end.
  • KL Rahul, Punjab skipper, says that is T20 cricket and we have witnessed games like this. Adds that Rajasthan batted well under pressure. Mentions that they had given up but in the end Rajasthan batted well to chase this. Rahul also says that the ground was small and any total does not matter here. Mentions they will look to do better in the next game.
  • Earlier in the evening, after being put to bat, Punjab's opener Mayank Agarwal put in a masterclass with his maiden centuy in the league. His 106 along with 69 from Rahul and an 8-ball 25 from Pooran took Punjab to a mammoth score of 223 which looked just about enough heading into the break but it did not prove to be the case. Just like Punjab's bowler later in the evening it was more of the same for Rajasthan's bowler as well as they also were punished in this small dimensional ground and the flat batting track. Rajpoot was the pick of the bowler for them picking up 1/39 from his 4.
  • Well, it was a terrible day for the bowlers and an even worse one for Punjab bowlers. They were abysmal with their lines and length and were rightfully punished. Apart from Bishnoi none of the frontline bowlers will be happy with their effort. Shami got 3 but he was expensive going away for 53 in his 4. Neesham went for 40, Maxwell gave away 29 from his 3 overs. Cottrell did not even bowl his full 4 overs as he was spanked all over the park by Tewatia in his final over in which he was hit for 5 maximums that will hurt him for a few days. All in all it was a miserable bowling performance from Punjab.
  • Chasing a humongous total of 224, Rajasthan got off to a poor start as they lost their star Jos Buttler early in the innings. Steven Smith and Sanju Samson continued from where they left off. The duo added 81 runs between them with the skipper getting to his fifty but falling prey. Rajasthan threw a surprise as they sent Rahul Tewatia ahead of Robin Uthappa. Sanju Samson continued his outlandish form and kept Rajasthan in the chase. He though was not getting any support from the other end as Rahul Tewatia was struggling to find the middle of the bat. Samson's 85 though kept the glimmer of hope alive but once he departed it looked like the hopes of a Rajasthan win also went away with him. Tewatia though turned the tide and boy did he turn the tie away in some manner. From stuttering  at 8 off 19 balls, Tewatia unleashed the punster inside of him and it was Cottrell who brunt the heat. He hit 5 sixes off Cottrell's over and finished the game with 53 off 31 balls. That along with Archer's cameo and Tom Curran's one ball boundary helped Rajasthan create history.
  • WOW! What a game of cricket we have witnessed here! A record breaking chase and it was a game not for the faint hearted. Rajasthan have done it again. They surprised the mighty Chennai in the last game and tonight they have chased down the highest ever total chasd in this league. Take a bow, Steven Smith. Take a bow, Sanju Samson but just give a big salute to Rahul Tewatia. He might have had a lot of Rajasthan's fans heads scratching in anger in the middle but towards the end he has become their superhero, their messiah, their latest darling!
  • 19.3
    4
    Murugan Ashwin to Tom Curran, FOUR! Bang! Tom finishes the game off in style. Tossed up on off, Curran moves away from the stumps and lofts it over covers. The ball bounces inside the ropes and goes away to the fence for a boundary to finish the game. RAJASTHAN WIN BY 4 WICKETS!
  • Who will walk out now? It is going to be Tom Curran. 3 needed off 4!
  • 19.2
    W
    Murugan Ashwin to Riyan Parag, OUT! BOWLED! Ashwin shows courage and bowls a googly on off and middle. Parag looks to sweep but misses and the middle stump has gone for a toss. Punjab well and truly in it with a shot. 
  • 19.1
    0
    Murugan Ashwin to Riyan Parag, Darted quicker on off, Parag defends it.
  • END OF OVER 19 | 19 Runs & 1 Wkt | RR 222/5
  • Murugan Ashwin to bowl the final over. Riyan Parag is the new man in.
  • 18.6
    W
    Mohammed Shami to Rahul Tewatia, OUT! Caught! Tewatia holes out but take a bow sir! You have shown never give up attitude and that has taken your side to the brisk of a big win here. Back of a length ball on off, Tewatia pulls but finds the man in the deep. It goes towards mid-wicket where Mayank Agarwal in the deep takes the catch. 3 needed off the final over.
  • 18.5
    6
    Mohammed Shami to Rahul Tewatia, SIX! FIFTY FOR TEWATIA! He has fought his demons and proven everyone and I mean everyone wrong. Back of a length ball on off. Tewatia smashes it over backward point and gets a biggie. Just 3 needed now. Maiden fifty for Rahul Tewatia.  When the going gets tough, the tough gets going and this young man has shown that he is a warrior.
  • 18.4
    1
    Mohammed Shami to Jofra Archer, Very full outside off, Archer squeezes it towards sweeper cover and gets a single. This will do now.
  • 18.3
    6
    Mohammed Shami to Jofra Archer, SIX! Just 9 needed off 9 now. Full in the arc for Archer who tonks it over long on for a biggie. 
  • 18.2
    6
    Mohammed Shami to Jofra Archer, SIX! Bang! Archer neds no time to settle as he has smoked this straight away. Short on off and middle, Archer pulls it over mid-wicket for a biggie. 
  • Jofra Archer comes out to bat. He took Ngidi for a ride in the final over against Chennai. Can he do it again? 
  • 18.1
    W
    Mohammed Shami to Robin Uthappa, OUT! Caught! Uthappa holes out! Full on off, it is in the slot. Uthappa looks to lift it over long off but he does not go through with his shot and hits it straight to Pooran at long off who makes no mistake.
  • END OF OVER 18 | 30 Runs & 1 Wkt | RR 203/3
  • 17.6
    6
    Sheldon Cottrell to Rahul Tewatia, SIX! BOOM! 6,6,6,6, DOT,6. 30 off the over and Rajasthan are in the driver's seat now. 21 off 12 and this is Rajasthan's game to lose. 30 off the over and Cottrell has been taken to the cleaners. Full around off, in the arc of Tewatia who smashes it over the mid-wicket fence for a biggie.