Sanju Samson continued his batting wizardry as he kicked off the Indian Premier League (IPL) in style with a robust half century in the Rajasthan Royals' (RR) opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday (April 2). Samson whacked a blistering 55 off 32 to help RR post a huge total of 203/5 in the stipulated 20 overs.
SRH skipper Bhuvneshwar Kumar won the toss and opted to bowl first. The decision to put RR backfired for the Orange Army as the Men in Purple made their intentions clear from the word go. The top three batters clobbered brilliant fifties to give RR a cracking start. Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal belted SRH's bowlers left, right and centre and smacked 85 runs by the end of Powerplay and scripted RR's highest-ever score in the first six overs and sixth highest by any team in the history of IPL. While Buttler sizzled with 54 off 22, Jaiswal hammered 54 off 37. Skipper Samson was no less as he pummelled a sensational 55 riding on three fours and four sixes and with this Samson stepped on a unique milestone. The 28-year-old became the first player to achieve a rare feat of scoring 700 runs against SRH in IPL history.
Samson also left behind Royal Challengers Bangalore's batting juggernaut Virat Kohli who is second on the leaderboard. Samson is now the first and the only player (so far) to hit more than 600 runs against the Hyderabad-based franchise.
Most runs against SRH in IPL history
Sanju Samson - 725
Virat Kohli - 569
Shane Watson - 566
AB de Villiers - 540
Ambati Rayudu - 540
Follow the RCB vs MI's live scores here
Samson boasts of an excellent record against SRH. He has struck one century and three half-centuries against the Orange Army. Samson clobbered century against SRH in IPL 2019 season at the same venue as today's match. However, his efforts went in vain as Samson's 102 in 55 came for a losing cause then.
Talking about RR vs SRH match, RR registered a thumping 72-run victory over SRH in their IPL 2023 opener. Asked to bat first, RR posted a huge total of 203/5 in 20 overs after Buttler and Jaiswal smashed 54 runs each. Apart from them, Sanju Samson smashed 55 runs. Later, SRH were restricted at 131/8 as Chahal took four wickets, while Trent Boult took two wickets. For SRH, T Natarajan and Fazalhaq Farooqi were the pick of the bowlers with two wickets each to his names.
ALSO READ:
'South Africans are coming back and...': Stand-in skipper Bhuvneshwar Kumar after SRH's massive 72-run defeat to Rajasthan Royals
SRH vs RR: Chahal's four-fer, triple half-centuries help Royals beat Sunrisers by 72 runs in absence of Aiden Markram
