4.6 overs (1 Run) Quick single from Gayle to end the over. Full and coming in to the southpaw. Gayle uses the angle and plays it to the right of mid on. He scampers for the single. Morris at mid on fails to get the ball cleanly allowing Gayle to come back in with ease.
4.5 overs (0 Run) On off, Gayle plays it to cover.
4.4 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! MUSCLED AWAY! The Universe Boss gets his first boundary of the 2021 season! Slightly shorter around off, it is not a bad ball but Gayle manages to flat-bat it over mid on with enough bat on it.
4.4 overs (1 Run) WIDE! The left-hand, right-hand combination troubles Mustafizur as he misses his line and bowls it down the leg side.
4.3 overs (1 Run) Another beautiful shot from Rahul for one. Length ball around off, Rahul gets on top of the bounce again and punches it to sweeper cover and gets to the other end.
4.2 overs (1 Run) Edgy but away! Mustafizur hits the deck hard around off. Gayle looks to punch it through the off side but it is too close to him. It takes the inside edge and goes to the on side. Rahul calls for a run and Gayle responds too.
Mustafizur Rahman is back on. 1-0-11-0 are his figures so far.
4.1 overs (0 Run) Good length ball on middle and leg, Gayle keeps it out.
3.6 overs (1 Run) Edgy but away! Gayle gets his first run of the 2021 season! Full and pacy on middle and leg. Gayle looks to defend it towards mid on but closes the face of the bat early. It takes the leading edge and luckily for Punjab, it goes uppishly through the vacant cover region. Gayle takes a single and keeps the strike.
3.5 overs (1 Run) Slower ball from Morris now. It is full on middle, Rahul flicks it through square leg and takes a single.
3.5 overs (1 Run) WIDE! Morris misses his line and bowls it down the leg side. Rahul looks to guide it fine but misses. Wided by the umpire.
3.4 overs (0 Run) Length ball on off, Rahul defends it with a straight bat.
3.3 overs (0 Run) Good length delivery on off, Rahul taps it to cover and looks for a quick run. He forgot it is the big man, Gayle at the other end. The Universe Boss says no to that risky run.
3.2 overs (2 Runs) Excellent work from Manan Vohra saves two for his side! Good length delivery around off, Rahul gets on top of the bounce and punches it through cover. Manan Vohra in the deep runs to his left and puts in a dive to pull the ball back inside the rope. A lot of replays are needed to determine if the stop is clean. And after a long watch, it is deemed to be clean. Superb from Manan Vohra.
3.1 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! Delicate from Rahul! Morris starts with a good length delivery outside off. Rahul waits for it and initially it looks like he has edged it but Rahul has opened the face of the bat and placed it past Ben Stokes at slip and the ball races away to the third man fence.
The most expensive buy of the league is into the action now. Chris Morris is introduced into the attack.
2.6 overs (0 Run) Length delivery way outside off. Gayle is happy to have the calm before the storm as he leaves this alone as well. Excellent over from young Chetan Sakariya. Just a run of it and the big wicket of Mayank Agarwal.
2.5 overs (0 Run) This one comes back in a lot. Good length ball pitching well outside off. Gayle carefully shoulders arms to it and watches it swing back in a lot on its way to the keeper.
Chris Gayle is the new batsman in.
2.4 overs (0 Run) OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Chetan Sakariya gets his first wicket in this league and what a moment for him. A moment he will never forget for the rest of his life. He was a net bowler for Bangalore in the previous edition but now he is in the middle of the action and amongst the big boys. To mark this occasion he has got the big wicket of Mayank Agarwal! Full and wide outside off, Mayank decides to clear his front leg and slog this to the off side. The idea seems to be to put pressure on the youngster. The plan though backfires as the ball is bowled quickly. It catches the outside edge of Mayank Agarwal's willow and goes straight into the mitts of Sanju Samson. He takes his first catch as a skipper of Rajasthan. Chetan Sakariya is elated and so are his teammates. An early breakthrough for Rajasthan. Just what the doctor ordered.
2.3 overs (1 Run) Very good shot but just for one. Good length delivery around off, Rahul gets on top of the bounce and plays a gorgeous cover drive. Sanju though has kept a man in the deep there. So just a single.
2.2 overs (0 Run) A very excited appeal from Chetan Sakariya. So much so that he falls while appealing. The umpire though is unmoved. On the pads, Rahul looks to flick but misses it as it comes in a bit. Sakariya appeals and tumbles onto the ground but nothing from the umpire.
2.1 overs (0 Run) Good length delivery around off. Rahul defends it to the off side.
1.6 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! Boundary to finish the over! Mustafizur changes his length and gets punished. He goes full on middle, Mayank shows lovely wrist work and hand-eye coordination. He whips it away from the diving short mid-wicket fielder and well away from mid on for a boundary. Excellent shot to finish the over.
1.5 overs (2 Runs) Mustafizur continues to hit the length consistently in his first over. It is on middle, Mayank clips it to the right of mid on and gets a brace.
1.5 overs (1 Run) WIDE! Mustafizur Rahman misses his line and bowls this down the leg side. Mayank looks to flick but misses. Wided by the umpire.
1.4 overs (1 Run) Good length ball bowled at pace. Mustafizur looks in a good rhythm. Rahul clips it to the leg side and rotates the strike.
1.3 overs (1 Run) Length ball on middle and leg, Mayank plays it to the on side and gets away from the danger end.
1.2 overs (0 Run) Good ball! Appeal for LBW but turned down. A very close call this but the ball seems to have been doing too much. Good length ball pitching on middle. It comes back in with pace. Mayank looks to defend but misses and gets hit high on the pad. There is a huge appeal but the umpire is unmoved. Sanju thinks about the review but does not opt for it. Well...well...well. Replays roll in later and it shows it was going to hit the top of middle stump. Rajasthan have missed a trick here.
1.1 overs (2 Runs) Mustafizur starts his Rajasthan career with a good length ball on off. Mayank places it away from short third man and away from the fielder at deep point. The batters take two.
Mustafizur Rahman to bowl from the other end.
0.6 over (4 Runs) FOUR! Boundary to finish the over. Exciting but expensive first over for Chetan Sakariya! He misses his line and bowls it on the pads. It is quick from Sakariya. Rahul clips it fine down the leg side. Away from the diving, Sanju Samson and the ball races to the fence.
0.5 over (1 Run) Good bowling and good running as well. Length ball on middle and it comes back in. Mayank taps it towards Morris at mid off and calls for the run straightaway. KL Rahul goes with the call. Morris has a shy at the bowler's end but misses.
0.4 over (0 Run) Much better from Chetan Sakariya! He gets the ball to curve back in and cramps Mayank for room. It is on middle and leg. Mayank Agarwal dabs it to short third man.
0.3 over (4 Runs) FOUR! Mayank Agarwal gets off the mark in style! A kind gift from the debutant to Mayank first up. Short and wide outside off. Mayank says thank you very much and smacks it through covers for a boundary.
0.2 over (1 Run) Rahul and Punjab get their first run of the season. Sakariya pulls his length back and bowls it around off. Once again this ball comes back in to Rahul. The Punjab skipper, hops and taps it to the side of the pitch on the off side and takes a quick single.
0.1 over (0 Run) Sakariya starts right on the money. A little bit of inward movement to the right-hander. It is full and on off. Rahul walks inside the line of it and pushes it to mid on.
We are all set for the action to begin! The umpires make their way out to the middle. Rajasthan players are in a huddle, with their young skipper, Sanju Samson giving final words of motivation before his side takes the field. Punjab skipper, KL Rahul strides out with his longtime pal, Mayank Agarwal to open the innings. Debutant, Chetan Sakariya is all set to get into the thick of action straightaway. He will operate with the new ball first up.
Punjab (Playing XI) - KL Rahul (C), Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran (WK), Deepak Hooda, Shahrukh Khan, Jhye Richardson, Murugan Ashwin, Riley Meredith, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh.
Punjab's Nicholas Pooran is caught for a chat. Pooran says that he is very happy to be back in India and hopes to have a wonderful season. Tells everyone is excited in the squad. Pooran tells he is looking to improve and be himself. Pooran says they need to focus on doing the right thing. On Gayle, Pooran hopes that they can witness a Gaylestorm tonight.
Rajasthan (Playing XI) - Jos Buttler, Manan Vohra, Ben Stokes, Sanju Samson (C/WK), Riyan Parag, Shivam Dube, Rahul Tewatia, Chris Morris, Shreyas Gopal, Chetan Sakariya, Mustafizur Rahman.
Punjab skipper, KL Rahul says that everyone wants to bowl first on this venue but now they will have to play good cricket now and the results will follow. Rahul tells it is about the team coming together. Rahul says they felt they needed to fix some positions and is happy with the auctions. Rahul informs Meredith, Richardson, Gayle and Pooran are the four foreigners playing this game.
Sanju Samson, Rajasthan skipper, says they will bowl first. Adds that they have a strong team as they have bought some good players in the auction. Informs that Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Chris Morris and Mustafizur Rahman are their four overseas players. Ends by saying that he is excited about the role.
TOSS - It is time to beat the Monday blues as Sanju Samson is out in the middle for the first time as a skipper for the toss. Punjab captain, KL Rahul is out as well along with the match referee. Sanju Samson has the coin in hand. Up it goes. Rahul calls Tails but it comes down as Heads. RAJASTHAN OPT TO BOWL!
PITCH REPORT - Simon Doull is the pitch master for the day. Doull says the pitch is the same that was used in the game between Chennai and Delhi. Tells Delhi bowled full and that made it hard to hit while Chennai tried to do the same, the dew played a factor. Tells that is the reason sides will look to choose bowl first. Adds that the pitch is great to bat.
6 teams have played their opening games now. Time for the remaining two to go against each other and kick off their campaign. Hello and welcome to the first Monday of the season and to game no. 4. Sanju Samson kick starts his captaincy career with Rajasthan against another young but a bit more experienced captain in KL Rahul. Rajasthan will hope that a new skipper at helm can also see them move over the disappointment of 2020 campaign. The 2008 champions will miss the services of Archer but will hope that the most expensive buy in the history of this league, Morris can make up for it. A new logo, a new name and hopefully change of fates as well for KL Rahul led side. They too failed to get into the top 4 in the 2020 season and have added some quality players in the form of Malan, Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith. Those additions have made them stronger on paper but games are won on the field and Rahul will hope his troops can get their campaign started with a victory. A fascinating contest awaits us to beat your Monday blues. Stay tuned for toss and further updates.
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