Bengaluru, Apr 15 (UNI) Rajasthan Royals amassed an imposing 217 against Royal challengers Bengalluru as strapping Kerala batsman Sanju Samson blistered with a undefeated 92 off 45 balls in the IPL tie played at M Chinnaswamy Stadium today.
Put into bat the Ajinkya Rahane side did well to score at a steady pace until losing the captain and D’Arcy Short at the cusp of the seventh over but it was not short enough the the royals as Samson burst through all seams through his innings hitting ten sixes and just two boundary fours.
The Kerala batsman reveled on the Kerala New Year, as it is the Day of ‘Vishu’ in the land of Gods today. Samson coming at the fall of D’Arcy in the 7th over maintained second fiddle against much accomplished Ben Stokes (27) but could not resist his instincts anymore as he launched into all comers of RCB bowlers be it Yezuvendra Chahal, Chris Wokes, Kulwant Kherojit.
But his final assault on top fast bowler Umesh Yadav on the final over that fetched 27 runs, took the cake. Wide eyed Samson hit Yadav for three sixes and a four and the fast bowlers wondered how to stop him even as RR raced to a challenging total.
Earlier, Rahane played a waiting game after giving away just one run to off spinner Washington who opened the attack. But he revealed soon after stoking Chris Woakes for a fine boundary and thereafter sending Washing sunder for a 4 and a 6 in the third over with aplomb as Royals raced to 33 for no wicket at the end of third over.
The home team helped to restrict the run flow as Chahal came on to bowl and took the scalp of D’Arch and later stokes. Bur even by this time Samson had settled down and felt the wicket how it played and launched into the RCB bowling. All blowers of RCB came under his blade as wokes wnt for a six in the 17th over and Kulwant suffered again for 16 runs in the RCB 16th over.
He capped his final assault on Umesh Yadav and the analysis of the final RCB over ready 2.6.4.1nb.6.6.1, all faced by Samson, who wished ‘Happy Vishu’, the new year celebrated across the western coast of the country, in no uncertain terms.
UNI RS TS1829