Shimron Hetmyer struck 27 in 10 balls to help the table-topping Rajasthan Royals extend their lead as they beat the Punjab Kings by three wickets with one ball to spare in a low-scoring thriller at the Maharaja Yadavindra Stadium in Mullanpur on Saturday.
Shimron Hetmyer seals a thrilling a final-over win for #RR 🥳@rajasthanroyals remain at the 🔝 of the table and are back to winning ways!
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 13, 2024
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/OBQBB75GgU#TATAIPL | #PBKSvRR | @SHetmyer pic.twitter.com/mrPsAHGIon
Initially it seemed that the Royals would cruise to victory after they restricted Punjab to a modest 147 for eight, thanks largely to a splendid spell from Keshav Maharaj who claimed 2-23 in his four overs.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (39 in 28 balls) and Tanush Kotian (22 off 31) began the run chase solidly, compiling their team’s first 50 partnership for the opening wicket in the competition.
But then, in a similar manner to Punjab, a slower, clinging pitch stifled fast run-getting and punished over-ambitious stroke-making as the Royals were pegged back in the middle overs.
Much of this process was due to an excellent spell from Kagiso Rabada who grabbed two key wickets – those of Jaiswal and Sanju Samson – at a cost of only 18 runs in his four overs.
And when the in-form Riyan Parag was well caught by Rabada in the deep off the bowling of Arshdeep Singh for 23, Punjab looked to have a great chance of defending their below-par total.
But then the West Indian pair of Hetmyer and Rovman Powell belted 21 off seven balls and it all came down to the final two overs from Curran and Singh with the visitors needing 20 to win.
Powell drove Curran’s first two balls for four before being dismissed caught behind.
And then Maharaj holed out to the final ball to leave the visitors needing 10 off the final over.
Singh began it brilliantly with two perfect yorkers but then missed his length marginally for Hetmyer to drive his third ball for a straight six.
Two runs followed and then the coup de grace, a hook for six off a full-toss that brought the Royals victory.
For his explosive finish with the bat, Shimron Hetmyer wins the Player of the Match Award in tonight’s thrilling contest 🏆
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 13, 2024
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/OBQBB75GgU#TATAIPL | #PBKSvRR pic.twitter.com/8mlMvR0TWU
EXCELLENT MAHARAJ
Earlier, excellent bowling and some poor batting enabled the Royals to restrict the Punjab Kings to their lowest total of this year’s competition.
Even that total would not have been reached without a hard-hitting 31 in 16 balls from Punjab’s impact player, Ashutosh Sharma, who came in with the total on 103 for six in the 17th over and scored the team’s highest score.
For the most part, however, this was a muted performance from the Punjab batters with Jonny Bairstow at the top of the order struggling to 15 from 19 balls before mistiming Maharaj to extra-cover.
Maharaj, playing in his second game for the Royals, had an excellent outing, claiming the wickets of Bairstow and Sam Curran.
The high-profile pair were his first scalps in the competition. His spin partner, legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal, also bowled well, taking 1-31.
Dhruv Jurel had a good day in the field, claiming three catches in the outfield to ambitious shots played into the strong wind.
Jitesh Sharma, Liam Livingstone and finally Ashutosh Sharma helped the home team to something of a recovery with only four boundaries struck in the first half of the innings.
A total of 44 came off the last four overs which gave Punjab something to bowl at.
Unfortunately for them, their total was just not enough for them to prevail.
PUNJAB KINGS: Atharva Taide, Jonny Bairstow, Prabhsimran Singh, Sam Curran (capt), Liam Livingstone, Shashank Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh
RAJASTHAN ROYALS: Sanju Samson (capt, wk), Riyan Parag, Rovman Powell, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, Tanush Kotian, Trent Boult, Keshav Maharaj, Avesh Khan, Kuldeep Sen, Yuzvendra Chahal