Buttler and Chahal trigger demolition of Sunrisers
Rajasthan Royals 203 for 5 (Samson 55, Buttler 54, Jaiswal 54) beat Sunrisers Hyderabad 131 for 8 (Samad 32, Chahal 4-17, Boult 2-21) by 72 runs
Rajasthan Royals dominated the first half of their batting innings, racing to 122 for 1 in ten overs. And then they owned the first half of their bowling innings too, reducing Sunrisers Hyderabad to 52 for 6 in 11 overs.
The two periods of play proved decisive and led last season’s runners-up to a 72-run victory to kickstart their 2023 campaign.
It was all Royals from the first over of the game. Their top three of Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson thumped half-centuries to give their team a record-breaking start: Royals posted their highest powerplay score (85) and also their fastest hundred in the IPL (in 7.4 overs). Even though their middle and lower order didn’t fire, the brutal hitting at the top ensured that the Royals posted the first 200-plus score of the season.
The target of 204 was daunting against a strong Royals attack, and Trent Boult killed any hope of a successful chase by beginning with a double-wicket maiden.
Yuzvendra Chahal then ran through the Sunrisers with a four-wicket haul. The margin of defeat was a blow to the Sunrisers’ net run rate, eerily similar to how their 2022 season began.
Buttler begins like a boss
Jaiswal raced to 24 off 11 balls before Buttler raised his tempo even more, smacking Washington Sundar for successive sixes over midwicket and T Natarajan for four fours in five balls.
Buttler then hit three fours in four balls off Afghanistan’s Fazalhaq Farooqi to bring up his fifty off 20 balls.
By the time Buttler fell, Royals were 85 for 1 in 5.5 overs. Jaiswal then picked up the pace while Samson settled in; and Samson kept the momentum going when Jaiswal was dismissed for 54.
He looked set for a huge score but was superbly caught by Abhishek Sharma on the edge of the long-on boundary for 55.
Adil Rashid’s tidy spell in the middle overs, combined with improved second spells from Natarajan and Farooqi reduced the flow of runs. At one stage it seemed like Royals might fall just short of 200, but a late cameo from Shimron Hetmyer gave them 203. (ESPNcricinfo)
