The change in leadership finally helped Rajasthan Royals to script a turnaround as they beat Mumbai Indians by five wickets at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. With this win, Rajasthan now have six points from nine games as the tournament enters its business end.
Smith- Parag lead charge for Rajasthan
In pursuit of a modest total, Rajasthan Royals got off to a flying start with their revamped opening pair – Sanju Samson and Ajinkya Rahane. They added 39 runs in just four overs before Rahul Chahar got the better of Rahane. The young leg-spinner continued his stellar to dismiss two more batsmen – Sanju Samson and Ben Stokes to put the home side ahead in the game after Rajasthan added 77 runs in just eight overs.
Since then, Riyan Parag and Steven Smith took on the onus and the team looked completely different from the previous games. They dominated the bowling mostly depending on ones and twos while the odd boundaries kept coming. The added 70 runs for the fourth wicket before the young Parag departed after scoring 43 runs off just 29 balls. Rajasthan lost Ashton Turner for another duck Stuart Binny struck a boundary to finish off the proceedings.
Previously, half-centuries from Quinton de Kock and significant contributions from Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya propelled them to post 161 runs at the end of the 20 overs. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians got off to the worst start possible losing their skipper Rohit Sharma only in the second over. Since then, Suryakumar and de Kock combined well to add 97 runs for the second wicket. They dominated the Rajasthan Royals bowlers to register easy boundaries.
However, when many thought, Mumbai Indians are up for a massive total, Shreyas Gopal and Stuart Binny removed both the set batsmen to have Mumbai Indians for 111 for three. Kieron Pollard followed the suit as the visiting team were reeling at 124 for three but another little cameo from Hardik Pandya ensured his side post 150+ total on the board.
Twitter Reactions
Very impressed with young Riyan Parag. Something about him. #RR have been really positive today and negated spin by taking 48 from 4 overs off K Pandya and Markande
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 20, 2019
https://twitter.com/iamashwinramani/status/1119597276588994560
https://twitter.com/IsSwingAndSeam/status/1119595099434840066
It's interesting how yorkers become "bad delivery" when it goes for boundary and full-tosses become a symbol of "excellent bowling and thinking" when a batsman gets out to it. #RRvMI
— Srijan (@its_Srijan) April 20, 2019
And the news for Australia's opponents at the World Cup is that Steven Smith is starting to look his old self again….
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 20, 2019
Defending a modest total, Rohit has been surprisingly so defensive with his fieldset tonight. Very questionable!!!#RRvMI @IamNicck
— ' (@ashMSDIAN7) April 20, 2019
https://twitter.com/OfficeOfTanisha/status/1119604982175526912
Parag has been the dominant partner in this partnership with @stevesmith49 . The youngster has scored 34 runs of the fifty partnership between the two. #IPL2019 #RRvMI
— Debasis Sen (@debasissen) April 20, 2019
https://twitter.com/sull_noronha/status/1119597495053475842
Riyan Parag looking good…great temperament from the youngster… didn't impress much during the u19 WC but had a good domestic season m now he is here… great news for Assam cricket#IPL2019 #RRvMI
— ChokersFC (@Shristiiiiiiiii) April 20, 2019
Have to admit that Shreyas Gopal is the find of the tournament, he has been brilliant so far but hasn't got any team support! @rajasthanroyals look good at the moment#RRvMI
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh) April 20, 2019
Ashton Turner's last 4 innings in Twenty20 cricket:
0 (1) vs MI
0 (1) vs KXIP
0 (5) vs India
0 (1) vs StrikersTurner is the 11th player and only the 2nd Australian after Dom Michael to bag four consecutive ducks in T20s. #IPL2019 #RRvMI
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) April 20, 2019
@ImRo45 captaincy has been so poor this game. Started off with the part time bowlers in the poweplays and got punished. Half the game was lost there.
And giving away such easy singles now just doesn't seem to make sense at all!#RRvMI— Prashant Nair (@imagunner49) April 20, 2019
https://twitter.com/sir_ashokedinda/status/1119597231235948544
Mumbai Indians are like Robinhood
Taking points from rich teams like #CSK #DC #SRH
And give them to poors like RR ?Anyways, well played #RR@mipaltan @rajasthanroyals @cricbuzz #RRvMI #VIVOIPL #CricketMeriJaan #Cricket @ImRo45 @ajinkyarahane88
— Pushkraj Priyanka Lanjekar (@prince_pushkraj) April 20, 2019