Mayank Agarwal’s century goes in vain; Rajasthan Royals seal the deal with ease
IPL
|| India Correspondent ||
13th edition of Indian Premier League has already grabbed the eyeball across the globe where players have been performing their level best. While KL Rahul smashed a swashbuckling century other day, Mayank Agarwal scored a stunning one today against Rajasthan Royals.
Rajasthan won the toss and opted to field first. And, their decision somehow proved wrong when both the openers Rahul and Mayank started to build the foundation slowly. Agarwal took the charge and hit two sixes within 3 overs whereas Rahul smashed three consecutive boundaries off Jofra Archer.
However, they slowly picked up the pace and their constant big hits posted 60 runs on board within the power play. Agarwal seemed quite effortless while he pulled over deep square leg for a six and the next one went over the bowler's head for another six off Rahul Tewatia. However, this was not the end as he hit the next ball over mid-wicket for a boundary.
He once again took on Shreyas Gopal for two more sixes in the next over. However, Rahul was no less as he took on Tom Curran for two boundaries and a six and brought another fifty in the 12th over. On the other hand, Mayank registered his maiden IPL ton in just 45 balls in the 15th over who ended up scoring 106 off 50 with 10 fours and 7 sixes before getting dismissed.
Rahul, meanwhile scored 69 off 54 with 7 fours and a six. Apart from them, Glenn Maxwell’s 9-ball 13 and Nicholas Pooran’s 25* off 8 helped Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) posted a huge total of 223 in 20 overs.
While chasing, Jos Buttler fell for mere 4. His dismissal brought the stunner Sanju Samson in the middle. Captain Steve Smith and Samson started to steady the ship. However, they didn’t opt for a steady start as Samson welcomed Sheldon Cottrell with a maximum over long-on. He scored a boundary in the same over as well.
Smith too changed the gear with a maximum and a boundary off Mohammed Shami in the next over. However, Samson continued his destructive batting as he dispatched one off Ravi Bishnoi over long on for a six. He pulled one over mid-wicket. On the other hand, Smith smashed three boundaries off James Neesham and the duo added 69 runs within the power play.
Meanwhile, Smith scored his fifty but before before contributing much, Neesham sent him in for a 27-ball 50 with 7 fours and 2 sixes. After his dismissal, Punjab bolwers somehow managed to check the run flow and at one point, the equation became 84 runs needed off 30 balls. And, once again, Sanju Samson became the savior.
He smacked three sixes off Glenn Maxwell in the 16th over and eventually dismissed for 85 off 42 with 4 fours and 7 sixes. However, the game was still in the court of Punjab when Rajasthan were required 51 in the last three overs. In the 18th over, Sheldon Cottrell came to ball and Rahul Tewatiaturned the table with five maximums including four consecutive sixes. Later, Jofra Archer took on Shami for two successive maximums as well. Their constant big hits helped Rajasthan chase down the highest successful total in IPL history with three balls to spare.
