(CMC) – Tame performances from the West Indies duo of Shimron Hetmyer and Jason Holder failed to stop Rajasthan Royals from climbing to the top of the Indian Premier League table with a 32-run win against Chennai Super Kings yesterday.
Left-handed batsman Hetmyer made only eight and all-rounder Holder did not bat, after the Royals won the toss and chose to bat – and posted 202 for five from their allocation of 20 overs in the match at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
Hetmyer did not field because left-arm pacer Kuldip Yadav replaced him in the Impact Player role when the Royals started their defence, and Holder was the least economical bowler conceding 49 in four wicket-less overs for the hosts, but CSK were restricted to 170 for six in their 20 overs. The Royals now have 10 points from five wins out of eight matches – and CSK, one of three teams with the same number of points – dropped to third with the same win-loss record, but an inferior net run rate of 0.376. In the chase, CSK openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway were off to a cautious start – but the pressure was released when Holder came into the attack for the fourth over, and he conceded 12 runs from his first over.
Australia leg-spinner Adam Zampa made the breakthrough for Royals with the final of the Power Play when he got New Zealand international left-hander Conway caught at mid-off for eight.
CSK who were 42 for one, found their first success courtesy of Adam Zampa who dismissed the left-handed Devon Conway. Gaikwad kept the scoreboard ticking, but Zampa got him caught at long-on for 47 in the 10th over, and CSK wobbled to 72 for two at the halfway stage before India off-spinner Ravichandra Ashwin scalped Ajinkya Rahane for 15 and Ambati Rayudu for a second-ball duck in the next over.
Shivam Dube hit two fours and four sixes in the top score of 52 off 33 balls, and he anchored stands of 51 with England international Moeen Ali for the fifth wicket, and 46 with India international Ravindra Jadeja for the sixth wicket.
But the asking rate kept climbing, and though Holder conceded 25 from his last two overs – the 17th and 19th of the innings – CSK were too far behind, and Royals snapped their two-match losing streak, while ending CSK’s three-match winning run. Earlier, Yashasvi Jaiswal notched up his career-best score in T20s of 77 of 43 balls that included eight fours and four sixes, and he set up the foundation for a mighty total for his side.
Royals were 132 for three in the 14th over when he departed, but Dhruv Jurel made 34 and Devdutt Paddikkal cracked 27 not out in a stand of 46 for the fifth wicket that beefed up the total.
