Sunday 28 / April / 2024
Jaipur: Following his side's 20-run win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match, Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson lauded bowlers Sandeep Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin for their performances.
Riding on Sanju Samson's onslaught and Trent Boult's brilliance, Rajasthan Royals (RR) started their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 campaign with a win at home as RR registered a 20-run victory against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Sunday.
Speaking after the win in the post-match presentation, Sanju said, "It is always great fun to spend time in the middle (about his batting and knock). This time I have been in a different role, with a slightly different combination. Sanga (Kumar Sangakkara, head coach) has given me suggestions... I have been playing IPL for ten years, so there is experience coming in. Good start, but let's see how it goes."
"It is all about understanding your strengths and weakness. I just react to the ball. That helps me maintain the shape. I think I should give the trophy to Sandeep Sharma. I would not have been standing here [but for him]... I thought of calling him, but then thought it would be a bit too much! Everyone chipped in well. We just had to stick to our plans," added Samson.
Sandeep took the game-changing wicket of LSG skipper KL Rahul for 58 in 44 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes when LSG needed 49 in the final four overs. Ashwin later went on to dismiss Marcus Stoinis before he could do any damage to RR.
Coming to the match, RR opted to bat first.
Openers Jos Buttler (11) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (24 in 12 balls, with three fours and a six) departed without making much impact, reducing the team to 49/2. Following that, a 93-run partnership happened between Riyan and skipper Sanju, who scored 82* in 52 balls, with three fours and six sixes. Dhruv Jurel (20* in 12 balls, with a four and six) finished off well to take RR to 193/4 in 20 overs.
LSG was reduced to 11/3 in the chase of 194 runs. Then Deepak Hooda (26 in 13 balls, with two fours and two sixes) along with KL stabilised the innings a bit. Following Hooda's dismissal, which left LSG at 60/4, KL stitched a 85-run stand with Nicholas Pooran (64 in 41 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes). But a win was not meant to be for LSG as RR made a comeback with timely wickets, reducing LSG to 173/6 in 20 overs.
Trent Boult (2/35) was the pick of the bowlers for RR. Sandeep, Ashwin, Nandre Burger and Yuzvendra Chahal took a wicket each.
Samson was given the 'Player of the Match' award for his half-century. (ANI)
