In the ninth match of the IPL 2020, Rajasthan Royals (RR) snatched a dramatic four-wicket victory in the high-scoring match against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) at Sharjah Cricket Stadium (Sharjah).
Rajasthan Royals captain Steven Smith decided to field first after winning the toss. In the first batting, Kings XI Punjab put the big total on the scoreboard of 223/2 (20 overs). In reply, Rajasthan Royals chased down that target in 19.3 overs after losing six wickets.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) innings
In his first game of this IPL season, the English wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler (4) departed cheaply in the third over of the second innings. However, his opening partner and Rajasthan Royals captain Steven Smith and Sanju Samson handled that early situation very well as Rajasthan Royals scored 69/1 in the mandatory powerplay.
After completing 50 runs off 26 balls, skipper Smith lost his wicket on the next ball he faced as James Neesham dismissed him for 50 off 27 balls (7 fours and 2 sixes). Before that wicket, Smith and Samson had 81 runs partnership for the second wicket.
Then Samson completed his fifty in 27 balls and continued that innings to retain the hope of his team. While he and Rahul Tewatia built up the 61 runs partnership for the third wicket, Samson played the major role to keep on the scoreboard at a fast rate. After scoring 85 runs off 42 balls (4 fours and 7 sixes), Samson finally lost his wicket in the 17th over when Mohammed Shami returned to bowl.
In the last three overs, Rajasthan Royals had to score 51 runs. While Sheldon Cottrell came to bowl in the 18th over, Tewatia blasted five sixes and collected 30 runs in that over, including four successive sixes in the first four deliveries.
On the first ball of the next over, Shami dismissed Robin Uthappa (9 runs). But, immediately after coming to bat, Jofra Archer smashed two sixes to Shami on his first two balls. On the fifth ball of that over, Tewatia completed his fifty on 30 balls with another sixer. However, on the final ball of that over, Tewatia also lost his wicket on 53 runs off 31 balls (7 sixes). At that time, Rajasthan Royals were just two runs away from the victory and they still had one full over.
Murugan Ashwin bowled the final over of the match where he delivered a dot ball and then took the wicket of Riyan Parag (0). However, Tom Curran finished the game on the next ball with a four.
IPL 2020, Match 9: Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab (RR vs KXIP) – Scorecard (2nd innings)
Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) innings
Openers KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal provided a solid start as they initially put up 60 runs (60/0) in the mandatory powerplay. They continued that momentum after the powerplay where captain Rahul played controlled and supportive knock while Mayank played a fast knock.
While Mayank socred fifty in 26 balls, Rahul completed his fifty in 35 balls. They stretched that opening partnership till 17th over as they built up the 183 runs partnership. During that partnership, Mayank completed his second T20 century in 45 balls – the second-fastest century for KXIP (David Miller hit 38-ball century against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Chandigarh on 6th May 2013) and second century in the IPL 2020.
Mayank was the first batsman to lose the wicket in that innings as Tom Curran dismissed him in the 17th over where the KXIP opener scored 106 runs off 50 balls (10 fours and 7 sixes). In the next over, skipper Rahul was dismissed by Ankit Rajpoot for 69 runs off 54 balls (7 fours and only six).
In the end, Glenn Maxwell was not out on 13 runs off 9 balls (2 fours) while Nicholas Pooran smashed 25 not out off just 8 balls (only four and 3 sixes).
IPL 2020, Match 9: Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab (RR vs KXIP) – Scorecard (1st innings)
IPL 2020, Match 9: Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab (RR vs KXIP) – Twitter Reactions
This is the best save I have seen in my life. Simply incredible!! ?#IPL2020 #RRvKXIP pic.twitter.com/2r7cNZmUaw
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) September 27, 2020
Mr @rahultewatia02 na bhai na ? thanks for missing one ball ! What a game congratulations to rr for a spectacular win !!! #RRvKXIP @mayankcricket great knock @IamSanjuSamson brilliant !
— Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) September 27, 2020
Tewatia mein Mata aa gayi.
What a redemption. Such is cricket and such is life, changes within minutes.— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) September 27, 2020
What an amazing game of cricket. So many things to talk about. Firstly – what courage and heart shown from Tewatia, especially after his poor start with the bat, well done young man-awesome ! My man @IamSanjuSamson once again-pure class ! Great win @rajasthanroyals wow wow wow !
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) September 27, 2020
Pic 1. Tewatia in his starting 23 balls
Pic 2. Tewatia in his last 8 balls pic.twitter.com/Odae0FqPl2
— Mohit Singh (@coolindian) September 27, 2020
Australian Smith's belief of never giving up, #samson's composed power hitting but without #Tewatia this match was nothing. #RRvKXIP #KXIPvsRR #KXIP #IPL2020
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh) September 27, 2020
https://twitter.com/cinejac/status/1310275222147268609?s=20
As I had said, no total is unchasable at Sharjah
Brilliant effort from both teams to give us the best match of this year's IPL so far!
The difference was KXIP bowlers' lengths tonight!#RRvKXIP https://t.co/DMDhh96PUF— Vinod Kambli (@vinodkambli349) September 27, 2020
Gravity naamak cheez hi bhula di. Aisa kaise.
Defied Gravity, Pooran. What a save. pic.twitter.com/1HReADpmVh— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) September 27, 2020
An absolutely brilliant game of cricket. Superb performance by @rajasthanroyals ??? pic.twitter.com/Td1Xfx8DAk
— Rishabh Pant (@RishabhPant17) September 27, 2020
https://twitter.com/erbmjha/status/1310275787753320448?s=20
No one,
Literally No one,
Yuvraj to Tewatia: pic.twitter.com/VJbKp9kB24
— Ashish Bhatnagar (@being____human) September 27, 2020
Outstanding come back from #tewatia wasn’t easy for him bad choice of lengths certainly helped him #welldone #IPLinUAE
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) September 27, 2020
I think this is now turning out to be the breakthrough season in T20 for #mayankagarwal. What a fabulous innings! #KXIPvsRR #RRvKXIP #IPL2020
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh) September 27, 2020
if you want see the real quality of a batsman than see him play on Dubai’s pitch,wanna see the real quality of a bowler than see him ball in shahrjah
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) September 27, 2020
Both KL and Mayank have looked in total control and have made UAE their home ground(s)!#IPL2020 #RRvKXIP pic.twitter.com/voPS4oYmJC
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) September 27, 2020
Talk about taking your batting to the next level…Wow!
Mayank Agarwal ????#RRvKXIP— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) September 27, 2020