MUMBAI, Apr 22:
Opener Jos Buttler struck his third century of the ongoing IPL to power Rajasthan Royals to a 15-run win over Delhi Capitals in a drama-filled match here on Friday.
Buttler and Devdutt Padikkal shared a 155-run stand for the opening wicket to help RR to the highest team total of the season, 222 for two, after being sent into bat.
Buttler, enjoying the form of his life, smashed 116 off 65 balls with the help of nine boundaries and as many hits over the fence to lay the foundation of the imposing total in the company of Padikkal, who hit 54 off 35 balls with seven fours and two sixes.
It turned out to tall task for DC as RR restricted them to 207 for eight.
Chasing the imposing total, DC made a brisk start with Prithvi Shaw (37) and David Warner (28), adding 43 runs in 4.3 overs before the latter edged a Prasidh Krishna delivery to skipper Sanju Samson behind the stumps.
Shaw and skipper Rishabh Pant (44 off 24 balls) then added 51 runs off 29 balls for the second wicket to keep DC abreast with the asking rate.
But just when it seemed the partnership was blooming, R Ashwin struck a vital blow in the form of set Shaw, who was holed out at the deep to Trent Boult as DC reached 99 for three after 10 overs.
Pant raised DC’s hopes before being holed out to Padikkal off Krishna in the 12th over.
Axar Patel (1) also failed with the bat, so did Shardul Thakur (10) as Lalit Yadav (37 off 24) waged a lone battle before perishing.
Rovman Powell (36 off 15) struck a few lusty blows towards the end to raise DC’s hopes.
With 36 needed off the last over, Powell clobbered Obed McCoy for three consecutive sixes in the first three deliveries to raise the hopes of an improbable win for DC before the West Indian bowler got his acts together to take his side home.
But the win came after a bit of drama as the DC team argued with the onfield umpires, claiming for a possible waist-high no ball but to no avail.
Earlier, Pant’s decision to field first backfired big time as the duo of Buttler and Padikkal struck 155 runs in 15.5 overs for the opening stand.
After reaching 50 in 6.5 overs, the duo opened up. Buttler started slowly before picking up the pace and dealt mostly in fours and sixes against the DC spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel to bring up his fifty in 36 balls.
Scoreboard
Rajasthan Royals
Jos Buttler c Warner b Mustafizur 116
Devdutt Padikkal lbw b Ahmed 54
Sanju Samson not out 46
Shimron Hetmyer not out 1
Extras: (LB-1 W-4) 5
Total: (For 2 wickets in 20 overs) 222
Fall of wickets: 1/155 2/202
Bowling: Khaleel Ahmed 4-0-47-1, Shardul Thakur 3-1-29-0, Lalit Yadav 4-0-41-0, Mustafizur Rahman 4-0-43-1, Kuldeep Yadav 3-0-40-0, Axar Patel 2-0-21-0.
Delhi Capitals
Prithvi Shaw c Boult b Ashwin 37
David Warner c Samson b Prasidh 28
Sarfaraz Khan c Prasidh b Ashwin 1
Rishabh Pant c Padikkal b Prasidh 44
Lalit Yadav c Samson b Prasidh 37
Axar Patel b Chahal 1
Shardul Thakur run out (Riyan Parag/Samson) 10
Rovman Powell c Samson b Obed McCoy 36
Kuldeep Yadav not out 0
Extras: (b 4, w 8, nb 1,) 13
Total: (8 wkts, 20 Ov) 207
Fall of Wickets: 43-1, 48-2, 99-3, 124-4, 127-5, 157-6, 187-7, 207-8
Bowling: Trent Boult 4-0-47-0, Prasidh Krishna 4-1-22-3, Obed McCoy 3-0-52-1, Ravichandran Ashwin 4-0-32-2, Yuzvendra Chahal 4-0-28-1, Riyan Parag 1-0-22-0. (PTI)
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