Rajasthan Royals scored 193/4 in 20 overs, where as Lucknow Super Giants scored 173/6 in 20 overs.
So, finally Rajasthan Royals beat Lucknow Super Giants by 20 runs.
Sanju Samson has been a standout performer in opening games for Rajasthan Royals since 2020, consistently delivering impressive performances with scores of 74, 119, 55, and 55.
Continuing this trend, he played a pivotal role in Royals’ 20-run victory against Lucknow Super Giants in Jaipur on Sunday (March 24), compiling a well-crafted 82 off 52 deliveries, including three fours and six sixes.
Samson’s innings, supported by a valuable 43 from Riyan Parag, propelled Royals to a total of 193/4 after opting to bat on a challenging wicket.
Despite KL Rahul and Nicholas Pooran’s half-centuries for Lucknow Super Giants in the chase, timely wickets from Royals ensured that the target remained out of reach for the opposition.
Encouraging start but openers fall early
On a dry pitch with limited bounce, Yashasvi Jaiswal faced early challenges against Mohsin Khan in the opening over, while Jos Buttler managed to find the boundary twice off Naveen-ul-Haq.
However, Buttler’s innings was short-lived as he edged one behind to KL Rahul off Haq’s bowling.
Jaiswal then found his rhythm, dispatching several boundaries, with Sanju Samson joining in the assault as Mohsin struggled to contain the scoring.
Both batsmen even lofted him for sixes in the fifth over, but Mohsin found redemption by inducing a mistimed pull shot from Jaiswal, resulting in a catch.
Riyan Parag had a fortunate escape as he miscued a shot, with Krunal Pandya unable to reach the ball due to Samson’s presence at the non-striker’s end.
Samson and Parag lay the groundwork in the middle overs
Although Royals amassed 54 runs in the powerplay, the scoring rate tapered off as the field spread out, with Krunal Pandya and Ravi Bishnoi bowling tidy overs.
However, with a bit of pace on offer from Yash Thakur, Parag and Samson seized the opportunity, launching three sixes through the pull shot in a fruitful 21-run ninth over.
They continued to capitalize on the bowling, particularly targeting Bishnoi, as they cleared the straight boundaries for two more maximums, propelling Royals past the 100-run mark in the 11th over.
Parag received another lifeline as Mohsin Khan dropped a chance when the batsman mistimed a sweep shot.
Samson reached his fifty off 33 balls, and both batsmen maintained a steady flow of boundaries, extending their partnership to 93 runs before Parag fell to a top-edged pull shot off Naveen-ul-Haq.
LSG puts up a fight, but RR close out strong
Ayush Badoni delivered an economical 16th over, followed by another solid performance from Bishnoi in the next over.
Bishnoi claimed the wicket of Shimron Hetmyer caught-behind and nearly dismissed Dhruv Jurel, who managed to clear the ropes despite a valiant effort from Naveen at long-on.
Samson capped off the 18th over with a straight six off Thakur, who had otherwise maintained a tight line throughout the over.
In the 19th over, Naveen kept things tidy, conceding only eight runs, and was unlucky not to get the wicket of Dhruv Jurel as Devdutt Padikkal dropped a catch while running in towards mid-off.
Jurel and Samson ensured a strong finish, with Jurel hitting a boundary and Samson adding a six off Mohsin in the final over, resulting in 14 runs.
Early breakthroughs by left-armers shake things up
Trent Boult, a seasoned campaigner, once again showcased his prowess by striking early to assert Royals’ dominance in the game.
Quinton de Kock fell victim to Boult’s precision, guiding one straight to the fielder off his pads, as Boult extended his impressive record of early wickets in the IPL to 23.
Notably, no other bowler has managed more than eight in this timeframe.
LSG’s debutant, Padikkal, unsettled after being hit on the grille of his helmet by Boult, was subsequently bowled off the very next delivery.
Royals strategically utilized only three overseas batters in their initial innings, reserving the fourth as an impact player.
And the decision paid dividends as IPL debutant Nandre Burger had Badoni caught at mid-off, making an immediate impact.
Despite these setbacks, Super Giants managed to stage a recovery, with impact player Deepak Hooda and ‘opener’ KL Rahul finding the boundary with much-needed hits.
Rahul, Pooran sustain hope for LSG
Despite Hooda’s dismissal in Yuzvendra Chahal’s initial over, Super Giants remained competitive, courtesy of Rahul and Pooran, who orchestrated some significant overs for their team.
Rahul showcased his prowess with a six and two boundaries in the 11th over off Burger, accumulating 17 runs.
Pooran, on the other hand, took on the New Zealand left-armer, smashing two sixes and a four in a prolific 20-run 13th over.
However, a couple of economical overs from R Ashwin and Sandeep Sharma tightened the screws on Super Giants, leaving them with the daunting task of scoring 60 runs in the final five overs.
RR triumph despite Pooran’s fifty
Despite Nicholas Pooran’s aggressive batting, striking a six off Chahal in the 16th over, the promising 85-run fifth-wicket partnership came to an end in the subsequent over when KL Rahul mistimed a shot to sweeper cover, departing for a 44-ball 58.
Pooran reached his fifty off 30 balls with a boundary in the same over, but the pressure mounted on Super Giants, requiring 42 runs off the final four overs.
Ashwin proved pivotal in the 18th over by dismissing Marcus Stoinis, caught at deep mid-wicket, and conceding only four runs, leaving LSG needing 38 runs off 12 deliveries.
Pooran received a lucky break as Parag, charging in from long-on, attempted a diving catch but failed to grasp the ball.
The West Indian responded with two boundaries, but Royals maintained the advantage, with Super Giants still needing 27 runs from the last over.
Avesh Khan successfully defended the target, bowling full deliveries and denying Pooran the opportunity to unleash his big shots, securing victory for Royals.
What’s next?
Following their victory, Rajasthan Royals will remain in Jaipur as they prepare to take on Delhi Capitals in their second home game scheduled for March 28.
Meanwhile, Lucknow Super Giants will enjoy a five-day break before their next home fixture against Punjab Kings on March 30.
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