Cricket is a funny game and the match between Rajasthan Royals and Kings Eleven Punjab had perfectly explained that. The ninth match of IPL 2020 exhibited a run-fest, where both teams scored over 200 runs in their respective innings.
Batting first, Kings XI Punjab posted a mammoth 223-run total in the first innings, courtesy a record-breaking 183-run partnership between KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal. Opening the inning, KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal get going right from the onset. Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul took the bowlers to a leather hunt and formed a 183-run partnership for the opening wicket.
Mayank Agarwal smacked his first century of IPL 2020, scoring 106 runs off 50 balls. Striking at 212, Mayank hit 10 fours and 2 six during his knock. KL Rahul too played a fine knock of 69 runs off 54 balls.
Late finishing touches from Nicholas Pooran and Glenn Maxwell meant Kings Eleven Punjab posted 223 runs in their 20 overs in the first innings.
Rajasthan Royals, in reply, started off with a huge blow in the form of Jos Buttler. However, Steve Smith and Sanju Samson led the recovery and put on 81-run partnership for the second wicket. Steve Smith scored a brilliant half-century off just 27 balls before getting caught by Mohammed Shami in the ninth over.
Sanju Samson, however, didn’t stop and played another destructive knock on Sunday. He brought up his second fifty-plus score in the tournament and scored 85 runs off 42 balls, including 4 fours and 7 sixes. Samson made sure that Rajasthan keep up with the required rate.
In the midst of all this, management took everyone by surprise after sending Rahul Tewatia at number four. His knock was divided into two halves. During his first half of the innings, RR all-rounder struggled to hit the balls as he scored just 17 runs off 23 balls.
While everyone was lashing at him for becoming the villain in the run-chase, the southpaw hit 5 sixes in an over to Sheldon Cottrell to turn the table completely. Rajasthan Royals, in the end, chased down the total with three balls to spare.
