JAIPUR, India, CMC – Neither West Indies left-hander Shimron Hetmyer nor Barbados-born pacer Jofra Archer made a big splash, as Rajasthan Royals clinched their first victory of the Indian Premier League in dramatic fashion with a seven-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore yesterday here.
Hetmyer continued his struggle with the bat in the World richest Twenty20 league, scoring just one, and Archer claimed one expensive wicket, as RCB reached 158 for four after they were put in to bat.
Strong top-order batting, led by England batsman Jos Buttler, then carried the Royals to a tense victory with one ball to spare in the 14th match of the tournament at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
Buttler hit eight fours and one six in the top score of 59 from 43 balls and shared 60 with India star Ajinkya Rahane for the first wicket before he put on 44 for the second wicket with deposed Australia captain Steve Smith.
Rahane made 34, but when Buttler departed in the 13th over, the Royals required 55 from 46 balls and Smith made 38 to carry them within five of victory before he fell to the last ball of the 19th over.
But Rahul Tripathi, not out on 34, sealed the result with a six off the penultimate ball from India fast bowler Umesh Yadav to condemn the once high-flying RCB to their fourth straight defeat.
Earlier, India batting star and captain Virat Kohli, opening the batting, and wicketkeeper/batsman Parthiv Patel gave RCB a solid start of 48 inside the Power Play overs.
Kohli was bowled for 23 in the seventh over, but RCB hit a snag, when former South Africa star batsman A.B. de Villiers and Hetmyer were dismissed for just two runs in the space of 11 balls to leave their side 73 for three in the 11th over.
Patel led the way with nine fours and one six in 67 from 41 balls, adding 53 for the fourth wicket with Australian Marcus Stoinis before Archer had him caught at long-on in 18th over.
Stoinis, not out 31, and England rival Moeen Ali, not out 18, remained until the end of the innings to get RCB past 150, but it was never going to be enough.
Archer ended with one for 47 from his allotted four overs, but leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal was the pick of the bowlers, taking three for 12 from four overs.
