Sharjah: Rajasthan Royals (RR) found an unlikely hero in Rahul Tewatia (53, 31b, 7×6) here Sunday in their game IPL-13 game against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP). Unheard of before this game, Tewatia smashed sixes at will to win the game for the Royals. Five of the sixes came in the 18th over of the game bowled by Sheldon Cottrell and then two more in the next bowled by Mohammed Shami. Even though the pacer got him next ball, the damage had been done. In the end RR crossed the line with three balls to spare. Incidentally this was the highest successful chase in IPL history.
Before that Sanju Samson (85, 42b, 4×4, 7×6) and RR skipper Steve Smith (50, 27b, 7×4, 2×6) started the chase in right earnest. KXIP had posted a mammoth 223 for two riding on Mayank Agawarl’s (106, 50b, 10×4, 7×6) maiden IPL century and his 183-run opening stand with skipper KL Rahul (69, 54b, 7×4, 1×6). At that point of time even the greatest RR fans would not have thought of a victory. However, Samson, Smith and Tewatia changed all that.
It was not just wild clogging. All the seven sixes that Tewatia hit were clean. It was hit in the arc of mid-wicket to mid-off and all were big ones indeed. The blitzkrieg helped RR cross the line with three balls to spare.
Earlier riding on the knocks of Agarwal and Rahul KXIP posted an imposing 223 for two in their 20 overs. This is the second time in the tournament they posted more than 200 runs in 20 overs. However, in the end it did not help.
After losing their opener against Delhi Capitals in the Super Over, it seems that now KXIP are on a mission. In their last game against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) it was Rahul who had come to the party scoring a brilliant unbeaten 132. Even though, he was a bit circumspect today, it did not matter as Agarwal put the RR bowlers to sword. Their misery finally ended when Agarwal holed out to Sanju Samson running in from the deep mid-wicket fence off the bowling of Tom Curran.
Some bold hitting then by Nicholas Pooran (25 n o, 8b, 1×4, 3×6) and Glenn Maxwell (13 n o, 9b, 2×4) then propelled KXIP to this editions highest total in the games played so far.
Brief scores: KXIP 223 for 2 in 20 overs (Mayank Agarwal 106, KL Rahul 69, Nicholas Pooran 25 n o) lost to RR 226 for 6 in 19.3 overs (Sanju Samson 85, Rahul Tewatia 53, Steve Smith 50, Mohammed Shami 3/53) by four wickets.