Former Indian spinner, Pragyan Ojha lauded Sanju Samson and Shimron Hetmyer after Rajasthan Royals (RR) clinch a last-over thriller against Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedabad.
Pragyan Ojha considers Shimron Hetmyer’s batting position isn’t easy-
“Absolutely; the way he used the dimensions, he knew the dew factor will be very important. The clarity with which he bats is worth appreciating and he has been doing it for a long time. He comes to bat lower down the order and it’s not easy out there,” said the veteran Indian spinner on Jio Cinema.
Hetmyer, who scored an unbeaten 56* (26) studded with five sixes and two fours, was awarded Player of the Match. West Indies top order batter came 6th for Royals when they were reeling at 55/4.
Pragyan Ojha thinks RR skipper Sanju Samson set the platform-
“The platform, however, was set by Sanju Samson. On the basis of that, Hetmyer got the chance to open his arms. When you play a couple of big shots, the bowler goes on the back foot in the T20 format and he took advantage of the same,” he further added.
Attack MODE ?! @IamSanjuSamson took on Rashid Khan & how ? ?
Watch those 3⃣ SIXES ? ? #TATAIPL | #GTvRR | @rajasthanroyals
Follow the match ? https://t.co/nvoo5Sl96y pic.twitter.com/0gG3NrNJ9z
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 16, 2023
As the visitors’ openers, Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal, were both dismissed within three overs. The skipper of the Rajasthan-based side came when RR was struggling to chase down a 178-run target. In the 13th over, Samson hammered GT’s ace spinner Rashid Khan for three consecutive sixes to shift the momentum towards the Royals.
The 28-year-old batter went on to stitch a crucial partnership with Devdutt Padikkal. He also added vital runs alongside Hetymer before being dismissed after scoring 60 (32). RR’s total following the departure of their skipper was 114/5 at the end of 15 overs before others chipped in to help the Royals register a victory.
The prominent batter Hetmyer finished the innings by hitting a six on the last ball when 7 runs were needed in the last over for Sanju Samson-led side.
So far, RR has won four games in five matches it played this season, with the last match victory against GT by three wickets with four balls to spare.
For the sixth game of the season, the Sanju Samson-led side will take on the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on April 19.