Rajasthan Royals Beat Kings XI Punjab by 4 wickets

 

Rahul Tewatia became the hero for Rajasthan Royals

Match 9 of the Dream 11 IPL saw the highest successful run chase in the history of IPL as Rajasthan Royals stunned the world to beat Kings XI Punjab by 4 wickets.

Both teams had won their previous game with scoring more than 200+ score. Punjab won a one sided game against Bangalore by 97 runs,while Rajasthan Defeated Chennai by 16 Runs. RR won the toss and decided to bowl.

It looked like RR's decision to bowl first would haunt them as KL Rahul and Mayank Agrawal started to destroy the bowlers of Rajasthan. An enormous 183 run partnership opened the innings of Punjab with Mayank Agrawal scoring a fabulous 106 of just 50 balls with 10 fours and 7 sixes.

The Damage was done but Rajasthan were able to get KL Rahul as well, as he scored 69 runs of 54 balls with 7 fours and 1 six. A short unbeaten Cameo from Nicholas Pooran of 25 runs of 8 balls took the score of Punjab to 223/2 after 20 overs.

Rajasthan lost hard hitter Jos Buttler quickly,but Captain Steve Smith and Sanju Samson stabilized the innings. Smith scored 50 of 27 balls with 7 fours and 2 sixes but fell down at the end of 8th over as the scoreboard then displayed 100/2.

Sanju Samson was joined by Rahul Tewatia which gave rise to question on why was he promoted. Tewatia was seen struggling early on with scoring just 8 of the first 17 balls he faced and putting all the pressure on Samson.

Samson kept on firing from one end and kept the strike but was caught out the start of 17th over behind the wickets at the personal score of 85 runs of 42 balls with 4 fours and 7 sixes.

At the end of the 17th over, Rajasthan needed 51 Runs of the last 3 overs. Punjab gave the ball to Sheldon Cottrell. This over turned out to be turning point of the game. Rahul Tewatia became zero to hero has he smashed 5 sixes of 6 balls in that over as the score went from 173/3 after 17 to 203/3 after 18.

The start of next over saw the wicket of Robin Uthappa.Jofra Archer joined the play with 21 runs more needed of 11 balls. He slammed two sixes in his first two balls to put all the pressure on Shami and Punjab. A single and then another Six by Tewatia saw him complete his 50 as he scored 53 of 31 balls with 7 sixes. He had single handled turned the game around.

Rajasthan would then go on to lose another wicket,but Tom Curran kept his cool and fired a shot that went for 4 and wrote history as Rajasthan Royals completed the highest run chase with them finishing at 226/6 with 3 balls still remaining.