"Breathe. Aaram Se": Rajasthan Royals CEO's Tweet After Nail-Biter vs KKR In IPL 2022
IPL 2022: Rajasthan Royals CEO Jake Lush McCrum breathed a sigh of relief after his team edged Kolkata Knight Riders in a thriller.
Rajasthan Royals on Monday withstood the challenge of the defiant Kolkata Knight Riders to win an epic match in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Jos Buttler's second century of the season and a five-wicket haul from Yuzvendra Chahal that included a hat-trick helped the Royals edge past KKR, who fell just seven runs short of the 218-run target after a valiant effort with the bat. The match was an edge-of-your-seat thriller, with twists and turns throughout the second innings especially, starting off with Sunil Narine's run-out off the very first delivery of KKR's chase and ending with Obed McCoy taking two wickets in the final over while defending 11 runs.
Royals CEO Jake Lush McCrum took to Twitter to praise the effort of players from both sides and asked his team to breathe easy.
"What a match. Every player deserves a mention, including those from @KKRiders who were outstanding!" he tweeted.
"Happy Monday Royals! Breathe. Aaraam se," he signed off.
What a match
— Jake Lush McCrum (@JakeLushMcCrum) April 18, 2022
Every player deserves a mention, including those from @KKRiders who were outstanding!
Happy Monday Royals! Breathe. Aaraam se.#HallaBol
Put in to bat, Jos Buttler scored a magnificent 61-ball 103, a knock that had nine boundaries and five sixes. His century, Sanju Samson's 19-ball 38 and Shimron Hetmyer's 13-ball 26 at the death powered Rajasthan Royals to 217/5, the highest total posted this season.
KKR's chase got off to the worst possible start. Sunil Narine, sent up to open in a bid to recreate his pinch-hitting days, was run-out off the very first delivery of the match and had to return to the dugout without facing a single delivery.
However, the early setback did not deter them and Shreyas Iyer joined Aaron Finch to keep them going at the required rate.
Finch, playing his second match of the season, hit a fine half-century before being caught off Prasidh Krishna's bowling in the ninth over. He scored 58 off just 28 deliveries, hammering nine boundaries and two sixes.
Nitish Rana then played a quick cameo before becoming Yuzvendra Chahal's first victim, departing for 18 off 11.
Ravichandran Ashwin then castled Andre Russell for a golden duck with a peach of a delivery that outfoxed the West Indies all-rounder to turn the momentum back in RR's favour.
KKR's skipper kept them going, with the team needing 40 off the last four overs and Pat Cummins and Sheldon Jackson still to come.
But then, Chahal struck. He had Venkatesh Iyer stumped off his first delivery before Sheldon Jackson played him for a dot and then took a single. A wide followed and then the leg-spinner trapped Shreyas Iyer in front.
Shivam Mavi was sent up in a bid to get a few quick boundaries, but he holed out after getting a top edge off his first delivery.
Pat Cummins came into strike and he too went for a golden duck as he was caught behind as Chahal completed his hat-trick and a well deserved five-wicket haul.
There was drama still to come, with Umesh Yadav smashing two sixes and a boundary off Trent Boult's over to keep KKR in the game.
However, Obed McCoy first got Sheldon Jackson's wicket and then Yadav's to wrap up a much needed win for his team.
The Royals got back to winning ways after a defeat to Gujarat Titans, but KKR will be looking for a turnaround soon, having lost their their third match on the trot.
Rajasthan Royals
Kolkata Knight Riders