... The Run Chase ...
Right then. Hyderabad batters have their task cut out. There are some new names in the side with some young guns who shined at the fag end during the last outing. Nonetheless they need to bat out of their skins against a well balanced bowling line-up of Rajasthan. An enticing chase coming your way. Do not go anywhere.
Devdutt Padikkal says that it was a first-time experience in the Indian T20 League to bat at number 4 but it was a pleasant one and he enjoyed it. Adds that it's been amazing with the new franchise and he gets treated like family. Mentions that there is something for the bowlers on this pitch and they batted exceptionally well tonight. Ends by saying that their bowlers can defend the total and just have to bowl in the right areas.
We knew this was going to be a batters paradise but the way Bhuvneshwar Kumar started with the new ball, it could've gone either way. Although, it did not go in the favour of the bowlers, as they were taken to the cleaners. Umran Malik though made a sharp comeback after leaking 21 runs if his first over and ended his night with two wickets. He managed to break the highest ever third-wicket stand scored by Rajasthan against Hyderabad by getting the better of Devdutt Padikkal. It was not a pleasant day with the ball for T Natarajan early on, but he did took two scalps in the final over.
WOW! This Rajasthan batting performance has left me speechless! Well, they surely lived up to the expectations. The top-order of this side is capable of taking the game away from the opposition and that was on display this evening. It was not an ideal start for Rajasthan with a drama-filled first over and a cautious start by Buttler did not make it any easy for him. Jos Buttler though made the most of reprieve eventually. The opening stand set up a solid platform. Even though both perished in quick succession. Later, Samson and Padikkal notched up stand worth 73 runs off just 41 deliveries and they kept the run rate hovering around 10 before slipping out. In the end, Shimron Hetmyer and Riyan Parag stepped on the gas from the word go and managed to take the score above the 200-run mark.
Rajasthan did manage to turn up the heat in Pune. The tone has been set for this venue and surely, the rest of the teams would be taking some notes from this innings. Things could've been different for Hyderabad if Kumar hadn't stepped over the line when he got the better of Buttler on a duck.
19.6 overs (0 Run) OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! A wicket to end the innings! Riyan Parag doesn't review and this means that there is bat involved but what a brilliant catch from Nicholas Pooran! T Natarajan looks for the toe-crushing yorker but spills it down the leg side. Parag looks to flick and gets a slight tickle on it. Pooran dives full stretch to his left and takes an amazing low catch. Natrajan gets his second wicket of the over and Rajasthan finish with a 210/6!
19.5 overs (1 Run) This is full and on off, pushed down to long off for a single.
19.4 overs (1 Run) Around leg again, Parag flicks it towards deep mid-wicket and settles for a single.
19.3 overs (1 Run) Leg bye! Around leg stump, Coulter-Nile fails to get it away. The ball hits the pads and goes nowhere but they are able to scamper through for a leg bye.
19.2 overs (0 Run) OUT! Cleaned up! T Natarajan has the last laugh but Shimron Hetmyer has done his job. Cross seam from Natarajan this time, very full and angled into middle and leg. Hetmyer makes room and looks to smoke it over mid-wicket but the ball sneaks under his willow. The ball then castles into middle and leg and Natarajan is elated. Perfect yorker from him this time! Nathan Coulter-Nile is the new batter in.
19.1 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! Skillful from Shimron Hetmyer and he is toying with the bowlers now. Full and straight, Hetmyer shuffles and picks it right off the base of middle stump and scoops it over short fine leg for a boundary.
18.6 overs (1 Run) Full and wide, driven towards deep cover for a single.
18.5 overs (0 Run) Gets the wide yorker in now does Kumar. Hetmyer can't get it through covers.
18.4 overs (6 Runs) SIX! Back-to-back maximums! Length this time, around off. Hetmyer powers it flat-bat style over the wide long on fence for another biggie. The 200 is up!
18.3 overs (6 Runs) SIX! The commentators curse at work again. The on-air commentators just discuss that Bhuvi is the only one who hasn't been hit for a maximum tonight and well, now he has. Banged in short, outside off. Shimron Hetmyer hangs deep and launches it over the long off fence. Top shot this!
18.2 overs (1 Run) Good stop from Aiden Markram and it will only be a single. Length this time, a bit slower and wide of off. Parag gets it up and over the extra cover fielder. Markram runs around from long off and saves three runs.
18.1 overs (1 Run) Leg bye! Kumar gets it into the blockhole around leg stump. Hetmyer looks to flick it away but misses. The ball goes off the pads and towards short fine leg. They scamper through for a leg bye.
17.6 overs (1 Run) Full and straight, worked towards deep mid-wicket for one. Rajasthan inching towards the 200-run mark.
17.5 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! Poor fielding from Washington Sundar and it has cost a boundary. Full and wide, Hetmyer creams it through covers. Sundar slides to his right but gets a bit of a bad bounce as well. The ball ends up in the ropes.
17.5 overs (1 Run) WIDE! Full and wide, beyond the tramline and left alone. Wide signalled.
17.4 overs (6 Runs) SIX! Muscled! T Natarajan misses the yorker on off stump and serves a low full toss. Shimron Hetmyer hangs deep in his crease, gets low and smokes it off the toe end of the bat over long on for a biggie.
17.3 overs (1 Run) Full and straight, almost in the blockhole. Parag jams it over the bowler's head for a single.
17.2 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! Sort of a helicopter shot from Riyan Parag and he has nailed it. Low full toss, on the pads, Parag wrists it powerfully between deep mid-wicket and long on for a boundary.
17.1 overs (1 Run) Full and wide, sliced behind point for a single.
16.6 overs (0 Run) Jagging back into middle and leg. Blocked.
16.5 overs (0 Run) Bhuvneshwar Kumar looked excited but Hyderabad lose two reviews in three deliveries! Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowls a length ball, on off and this one nips back in off the surface. Riyan Parag looks to block but misses and the ball goes through the gap between bat and pad. There is a noise once again and the review is taken for a caught behind decision. UltraEdge shows that the ball missed the bat and flicked the thigh pad. The lbw is also checked but Ball Tracker shows that the ball is going over middle stump.
16.4 overs (1 Run) Short of a length, on the body. Hetmyer works it leg side for a single.
16.4 overs (1 Run) A surprise short ball, on leg stump. Hetmyer looks to hook but misses. It's been called a wide but Kane Williamson has gone upstairs for a caught behind appeal. Shimron Hetmyer seems to have missed it on first glance but the third umpire checks the replay. No need for UltraEdge as the ball is well over the dangled willow of Hetmyer. After all that, it is only a WIDE!
16.3 overs (1 Run) Cloe to the off pole, dabbed down towards short third man for a quick single.
16.2 overs (4 Runs) FOUR! What a shot to play first ball! Length, around off. Riyan Parag cover drives it exquisitely and finds the extra cover fence.
Riyan Parag comes in at number 6.
16.1 overs (0 Run) OUT! TAKEN! Bhuvneshwar Kumar comes back into the attack and gets the big breakthrough. Good-length ball, over off stump. Sanju Samson looks to pull it down the ground but it isn't short enough. Samson ends up forcing the lofted shot but it is dead straight. Abdul Samad does well to get around quickly from long on and he takes a good running catch. A sensational innings from the skipper comes to an end and Kumar is happy.
15.6 overs (2 Runs) Around the pads, tucked away through square leg for a couple of runs by Hetmyer.
15.5 overs (1 Run) Around off, caressed towards sweeper cover for one.
15.4 overs (6 Runs) SIX! Washington Sundar overcompensates by bowling it short and on the pads. Sanju Samson rocks back and smokes it way, way over the mid-wicket fence. He brings up his fifty as well and what an explosive innings this has been!
15.3 overs (6 Runs) SIX! Humongous hit! Tossed up, on middle. Sanju Samson gets down on one knee and hits it a mile up in the air. The ball clears the cow corner fence with ease and the 150 is up Rajasthan.
15.2 overs (0 Run) Cheeky attempt but in vain. This is angled across off and Sanju Samson goes for the reverse sweep but misses.
15.1 overs (0 Run) Flatter delivery, around off and Samson dabs it down to short third man.
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