Rajasthan Royals increasingly looks the team to beat. Nobody has found a way to inflict a loss yet.
Sanju Samson’s men defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six wickets with five balls to spare at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Saturday night. Riding on Virat Kohli’s eighth IPL hundred, RCB had made 183 for three.
The Indian master’s century was nullified by a magnificent one from Jos Buttler (100 not out, 58b, 9×4, 4×6), who scored a superb hundred in his hundredth IPL game. He had needed six to reach his sixth IPL century while his team required only one.
Buttler pulled Cameron Green to clear the boundary. His wild celebration meant how much it meant to him after going through a rough patch.
It was the Royals’ fourth win in as many matches. They are now leading the table.
It was Buttler’s 148-run partnership for the second wicket with Samson (69, 42b, 8×4, 2×6) that made the chase look easy. The Royals team management must be relieved with the England superstar’s knock.
With the law of averages seems to be catching up with his opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal, Royals had been somewhat short of runs at the top of the order, but Riyan Parag’s great run meant the team didn’t have to suffer.
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After Jaiswal was dismissed off the second ball of the innings – his leading edge off Reece Topley ballooned to Glenn Maxwell at mid-off – Buttler and Samson virtually took the game away from RCB.
The RCB innings had once again been more about Kohli (113 not out, 72b, 12×4, 4×6). On this night, he got support from captain Faf du Plessis (44, 33b, 2×4, 2×6), who may not have looked at his fluent best, as they put on 125 for the first wicket.
Kohli had indicated he was in nice touch from early on, with a wristy flick to square leg for four against Nandre Burger and then a gorgeous swivelled pull for six against the same bowler in the following over.
But, his innings was destined to be overshadowed by Buttler’s.
