Runs, wickets and drama. Ups and downs. Smiles and frowns. Scores tied at 191/9 for both the teams. And finally, a super over.
Rajasthan Royals went down to Kings XI Punjab despite a valiant effort, preventing the Royals from it six out of six. Punjab won thanks to a super over on Tuesday.
Chasing down the massive 192 set by Rajasthan Royals, Kings XI Punjab started with Sehwag and Murali Vijay, but Sehwag departed after being run out for 1 in the 2nd over, bringing Marsh in. Vijay was dropped by Nair in the 5th over, taking the score to 33/1. However, he was soon run out thanks to a brilliant effort by Tewatia, who claimed him for 21. Maxwell was the new man in, but took the long walk back in the 9th over, dismissed by Tewatia for 1. At the end of 10 overs, the score was 67/3, 125 required off 60 deliveries.
Marsh smashed two sixes in the 11th over, and soon Miller too got into the act, but just when KXIP got a flicker of hope, Marsh was removed by Tambe for 65, taking the score to 120/4 in 15 overs.
Miller refused to let go of hopes, as he belted one four and two sixes in the 16th over, in a bid to bring down the asking rate. Saha joined the proceedings and played his part, converting two boundaries in the 17th. After a cameo of 19, Saha was taken by Morris, but that didn’t alter Miller’s plans. He continued dispatching them across the ropes, a win looking well within sight. However, Hooda did what exactly the doctor had prescribed, removing Miller for a brilliant 54 off 30 deliveries, more or less putting the lid on the chase.
But then, the night had other plans up its sleeve. With the match tied at 191/6, it was time for the super over. While Kings Xi Punjab opted for Miller and Maxwell, the former fell on the first ball to 0 and Marsh was the new man in. In their super over, they lost Marsh as well, taking the score to 15/2. It was the Royals’ turn, and it began on a rather bad note for them, with Johnson crashing into the stumps of Watson, removing him for 0. Steven Smith was the new man in and the next wicket fell in the form of Faulkner, who was run out. At 6/2, Kings XI Punjab won the match, fair and square.
Earlier, Kings XI Punjab won the toss and invited the Rajasthan Royals to bat first. Watson and Rahane opened the innings for RR, taking the score briskly to 34/0 in 5 overs. Just when Rahane took charge of stepping on the accelerator, the unusually quiet Watson broke loose in the 9th over, slamming three boundaries and a six, taking the score to 90/0 in 10 overs.
Watson fell after a quickfire 45, taken by Patel in the 12th over, bringing Hooda into the crease. The aggression didn’t quite stop from the RR side, Hooda blasting two sixes in the 13th over and Rahane getting to his 50 in the 14th. Hooda was taken in the 15th by Shivam Sharma for 19 and at the end of the 15th over, the score was 136/2.
Smith played a blink and miss innings, uniting Karun Nair and Rahane on the crease, but that partnership was broken when Rahane was taken by Johnson for 74, and new man Faulkner was taken by Sandeep Sharma for 1. Karun Nair was next man to fall, taken by Anureet Singh for 25 and at the end of 20 overs, RR managed 191/6.