Parag, Kuldeep and Ashwin rescue the Royals – T20 IPL 2024

Rajasthan Royals 144 for 8 (Parag 56*, Hazlewood 2-19, Hasaranga 2-23, Siraj 2-30) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 115 (Sen 4-20, Ashwin 3-17, Prasidh 2-23) by 29 runs

Rajasthan Royals’ big three batters failed to fire, managing only a combined 38 off 37 balls. Their lack of batting depth was sorely tested – Trent Boult, a lifelong No. 11, walked in at No. 8 with 27 balls left in the innings. They went through a 43-ball stretch without hitting a single boundary.

But Riyan Parag, the 20-year-old whom they re-signed at this year’s auction despite his having gone through a horror 2021 season, repaid their faith with an unbeaten 31-ball 56 that dragged them to a total of 144.

It was still a small total; the lowest total defended before today in IPL 2022 was 156, by Gujarat Titans against Kolkata Knight Riders. Royals’ bowlers – who had already pulled off five successful defences in six attempts this season – didn’t just better that effort; they were in control right through, as Royal Challengers Bangalore’s chase fizzled out almost before it had begun.

Virat Kohli followed up two successive first-ball ducks with a scratchy, chancy 9 off 10 balls; Glenn Maxwell fell to a first-baller; and Dinesh Karthik was run out in tragicomic manner. There was no let-up at any point from Royals’ bowlers. All of them performed their roles perfectly on a two-paced pitch that also took turn as the match progressed, and the two big wicket-hauls in the end went to the pacy Kuldeep Sen, and the evergreen R Ashwin, who followed up a pinch-hitting cameo at No. 3 with a three-wicket haul that took him past 150 wickets in the IPL.

More to follow…

Source: ESPN Crickinfo

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