
The Sunday doubleheader begins with Match 4 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 pitting Rajasthan Royals (RR) against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
The Hyderabad team is being led by Bhubneshwar Kumar in the absence of designated skipper Aiden Markram, who is unable to play due to international obligations. The other Proteas players Heinrich Klaasen and Marco Jansen also won't be able to attend the initial game.
On the other hand, Sanju Samson as always will be leading Rajasthan. The franchise will be aiming to snap its lengthy trophy drought this year after only winning the competition once,
The final overs were spectacular with the J&K boys Umran Malik and Abdul Samad firing across the park.
In the final over, they scored 23 runs, but RR won't care much as they picked up a huge win!!,
But not to forget, the two lower-order batters contribute towards the NRR.
That's a fourth for Yuzi!!
Bhuvneshwar backed away for a big hit and played the wrong line which saw him lose his stumps in the process.
Bhuvneshwar b Chahal 6(10)
Adil Rashid used his feet to try and hit the ball, but Chahal bowled it wider and slower through the air.
Adil Rashid swings at it but the ball goes straight to Samson, who does the rest.
Adil Rashid st Samson b Chahal 18(13) [4s-1 6s-1]
Impact sub comes in for RR now. Navdeep Saini replaces Jaiswal.
Not Sunrisers day today!
Mayank, who was steady has to depart.
Mayank got low in his stance trying to slog-sweep the ball but all he managed is to slice it off the toe-end of the bat towards long-off and Buttler took a safe catch.
Mayank c Buttler b Chahal
The Impact sub comes in. Abdul Samad walks out to bat straightaway as he replaces Farooqi
SRH are in dire straits!
R Ashwin joins other RR bowlers in getting wickets. Tossed up full ball outside off as he lured Glenn Phillips to go for the stroke.
The batter hit it straight to extra cover where KM Asif is stationed.
Glenn Phillips c KM Asif b Ashwin 8(6) [6s-1]
Wicket keep falling for Sunrisers!
Another one bites the dust and this time it was Holder who got Sundar out for 1.
The batter was cramped for room and he went for a pull across the line.
He ended up getting it off the toe-end of the bat which lobbed up towards mid-off.
Washington Sundar c Hetmyer b Holder 1(5)
Chahal strikes and that ends the first innings for Harry Brook in the IPL!
Chahal bowled a quicker and flatter one and Harry Brook expected it to spin away.
But instead, as he rocked back to try to cut it square of the wicket, the ball skids and crashes into the off-stump.
Harry Brook b Chahal 13(21) [4s-1]
Trent Boult is on FIRE!
First he send back Abhishek Sharma and later got the better of Rahul Tripathi.
Abhishek Sharma stayed at the leg-side of the ball as he tried to dig it out but the ball swung away and knocked the back off-stump.
Abhishek Sharma b Boult 0(3)
As for Tripathi, he reviewed after being given an OUT. Umpire KN Anantha Padmanabhan had a word with the batter. But it was an outstanding catch by the tall Holder. He stretched his left-hand and grabbed it at a wide slip.
Tripathi c Holder b Boult 0(2)
Massive score by RR!
A very good Powerplay from Buttler and Jaiswal as both batters tore into the SRH attack.
However, just when it looked like Buttler would go on attack mode, he was undone by Fazalhaq Farooqi. Jaiswal, later slowed down and Samson took charge.
All three batters scored 50+ runs and cameo by Shimron Hetmyer (22*) was enough to put 200+ runs on the board.
Fazalhaq Farooqi and T Natarajan got 2 wickets each while Umran Malik got one to his name.
Superb balancing act with the left-foot from Abhishek at deep mid-wicket!
A back of a length delivery outside off and Samson swiped and nearly got it all the way. BUT Abhishek was there on the edge of the cushions and took a clean catch but juggled on his left-foot beautifully to not touch the skirting.
Samson c Abhishek Sharma b T Natarajan 55(32) [4s-3 6s-4]
Samson's first innings in an IPL season since 2020:
74(32) vs CSK 2020
119(63) vs PBKS 2021
55(27) vs SRH 2022
50*(28) vs SRH 2023
The timeout takes a wicket!
It was a length delivery across Riyan Parag and a thick outside-edge went straight up towards Farooqi at short third man who goes back and hangs on this time.
Riyan Parag c Fazalhaq Farooqi b T Natarajan 7(6) [4s-1]
Umran Malik cleans up Padikkal!
He does his trademark punch the air celebration and stops midway to give Padikkal a big dimple smile.
The ball uproots off-stump after beating the defence.
Padikkal b Umran Malik 2(5)
Just like Buttler, Jaiswal also departs for 54
Fazalhaq Farooqi gets his 2nd wicket. Jaiswal totally miscued the pull and finds deep mid-wicket.
Jaiswal c Mayank b Fazalhaq Farooqi 54(37) [4s-9]
50 for Jaiswal!
The younggun now has the support of their skipper Sanju Samson.
RR's highest PP score in IPL, bettering their 81/1 vs CSK in Abu Dhabi in 2021 is finally broken!
SRH strike and get rid of the dangerous Buttler.
It was a hard back of a length delivery on the stumps and it nips back in ever so slightly.
Buttler stayed leg-side to punch but the pace beat him and it clipped the top of off-stump.
Buttler b Fazalhaq Farooqi 54(22) [4s-7 6s-3]
50 off 20 balls!
Jos Buttler was looking unstopable as he and Jaiswal kept dealing in boundaries.
A moment's silence to mourn the loss of the legendary Salim Durani - India's first Arjuna awardee.
Sunrisers Hyderabad have won the toss and have opted to field.
Holder and KM Asif handed RR caps. For SRH, Harry Brook makes IPL debut.
Teams:
Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson(w/c), Devdutt Padikkal, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jason Holder, Trent Boult, KM Asif, Yuzvendra Chahal,
Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI): Mayank Agarwal, Abhishek Sharma, Rahul Tripathi, Harry Brook, Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips(w), Umran Malik, Adil Rashid, Bhuvneshwar Kumar(c), T Natarajan, Fazalhaq Farooqi