After a match-winning knock that helped his side clinch a six-wicket win over Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals opener Yashasvi Jaiswal said that he did not expect to be honoured with the Man of the Match award. A fiery half-century by Jaiswal and a three-wicket haul by Yuzvendra Chahal provided Rajasthan Royals with a six-wicket win over Punjab Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday. "To be honest, I didn't know I will be the Man of the Match. It's an amazing feeling whenever I go and bat, with all my pride I go and bat," said Jaiswal at the post-match presentation.
On his favourite shot of the match, he said the shot in which he hit Rahul Chahar over the covers was his favourite.
"I just tried to keep it simple - good cricketing shots. I want to dedicate this innings to Zubin sir (Zubin Bharucha). He has helped me a lot during all the times, whenever I was sitting with him, when I was down. He has been pushing me always. It's been a pleasure to perform like this. He has motivated me a lot, pushing me everyday like 'you can do it, you will do it, just keep working hard.' I will just keep doing what I am doing, I will try my best," he added.
Coming to the match, Jaiswal smashed 68 runs off 41 balls, which was followed by a quick cameo from Shimron Hetmyer of 31 runs off 16 balls, which gave Rajasthan their seventh win, with two balls to spare.
Earlier, batting first, a fifty from Jonny Bairstow (56*) and cameos from Jitesh Sharma (38*) and Liam Livingstone (22*) at the end powered Punjab Kings to a solid 189/5 at the end of 20 overs against Rajasthan Royals at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday.