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The fans who have been saying that the old charm has been missing from the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, have been proven wrong with two consecutive extremely thrilling encounters. Rajasthan Royals (RR) won a last-over thriller at Brabourne Stadium and even a century from Jos Buttler and a hat-trick from Yuzvendra Chahal did not guarantee them a win as Umesh Yadav had fans on the edge of their seats till the end. However, debutant Obed McCoy held his nerves and finished the game for Royals, handing them a seven-run victory against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Unlucky Narine
Once again KKR’s run chase did not get off to an ideal start with opener Sunil Narine getting run out for a diamond duck. But this time Aaron Finch stepped up and teamed up with KKR skipper to dominate Royals’ bowlers. After six overs, KKR had 57/1 on the board.
Shreyas, Finch hammer Royals’ bowlers
Early in his spell, Finch took on Chahal and hit him for three boundaries in a single over. On-debut Caribbean bowler McCoy took a beating as well in his first spell. Finch got to his half-century in the ninth over with a boundary off Prasidh Krishna. However, Krishna got the last laugh with the wicket of Finch off the last ball of his third over. The Aussie opener scored 58 runs from 28 deliveries including nine fours and two sixes. In the next over, Shreyas reached his half-century from 32 deliveries.
Middle order fails KKR
Out-of-form Nitish Rana tried to hammer Chahal and succeeded with two boundaries. However, Rana overattacked Chahal and paid the price for it by becoming his first victim. In the next over, Ashwin took the big wicket of Andre Russell for a golden duck. Meanwhile, Shreyas kept the scoreboard moving quickly by taking on McCoy and Trent Boult. However, Chahal's last over turned out to be the game changer.
Chahal’s magical last over
With 40 runs needed off last four overs and Shreyas on strike, it was KKR's game to lose. Chahal got the wicket of Venkatesh Iyer off the first ball of his last over as he danced down the track and was beaten by the googly. Shreyas tried to take him on too and got beaten by the length. He got out leg before wicket. He scored 85 runs from 51 deliveries. His highest score of the season included seven fours and four sixes.
Off the next ball, Shivam Mavi went for a big shot too and got caught at long-on by Riyan Parag. Coming in to bat at no.9, Pat Cummins could not become KKR's hero and got out for a golden duck as well. Cummins edged it to wicketkeeper as Chahal took the 21st hat-trick in the history of IPL. His four-wicket over while conceding two runs turned the game in Royals' favour.
Umesh’s cameo not enough
With 38 runs needed off last three overs, the match seemed to go in Royals favour but Umesh Yadav woke up KKR fans with his brute hitting. Umesh hit Kiwi speedster Boult for two huge sixes and one four in the 18th over. The 20-run 18th over made the equation tilt in KKR's favour with 17 runs needed off the last two overs. Prasidh bowled a brilliant penultimate over conceding seven runs against a rampant Umesh.
The last over was bowled by debutant McCoy. Sheldon Jackson threw his wicket away off the second delivery. Varun Chakravarthy took a single and got Umesh on strike. With eight runs needed off three deliveries, Umesh went for another big shot but missed the ball completely as it went through and hit the stumps. Umesh's cameo of 21 ended and Royals won the high-scoring affair by seven runs as KKR got dismissed with two balls left in the innings.
Buttler show
Batting first, in-form Buttler continued his form and decimated KKR bowling lineup during fielding restrictions and after. Devdutt Padikkal played second fiddle to Buttler. Padikkal contributed 24 runs off 18 deliveries to the 97-run opening partnership which was broken by Narine in the 10th over.
Samson joins in
Skipper Samson attacked right from the start and scored more runs than Buttler in his 67-run partnership for the second wicket. Samson lost his wicket early in the slog overs. He smashed three fours and two sixes in his 19-ball 38. He was dismissed by Russell in the 16th over.
Buttler hits another ton, Royals finish well
Buttler continued to hit big and got to his century with a six off Cummins the next over. He scored his second century of the season. His 103-run knock off 61 deliveries was studded with nine fours and five sixes. Parag and on-debut Karun Nair were impactless as they registered single-digit scores.
Royals' Caribbean pick Shimron Hetmyer helped Royals finish well with 13-ball 26 including two fours and as many sixes. Hetmyer’s cameo guided Royals to the highest score of the season -- 217/5.
