IPL 2021 Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings highlights: Samson's ton goes in vain as PBKS prevail in a last-ball thriller

Match Synopsis: Batting first Punjab Kings posted a monumental total 221/6 thanks to skipper KL Rahul's 91 from 50 balls and Deepak Hooda blistering knock of 64 from 28 balls. Rajasthan Royal's young left-arm pacer Chetan Sakariya bowled a fine spell of 3/31. Sanju Samson was the star of Royal's chase as he hit a hundred(119 off 63) and stretched the chase all the way down to the last ball. Punjab Kings's young left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh prevailed as got the RR captain caught in the deep on the last ball as Punjab Kings won the match by just 4 runs.

All four teams have now played their first round of matches and the teams which have begun their campaign of a winning note are Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, Punjab Kings, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, SunRisers Hyderabad, and Rajasthan Royals have tasks out as the second round of matches begin. And first up we have KKR taking on MI at Chepauk. Join us for the coverage of that match. Good night for now!

Player of the Match

Sanju Samson wins the Player of the Match award for his 119 from 63 balls hitting 12 fours and 7 sixes and almost winning the match for Rajasthan Royals.

Sanju Samson:I think the second part of the innings was the best I ever played, took my time and respected the bowlers, whereas in the first part I was not timing it very well. I took the singles and got into a rhythm and then I started to play my shots in the second half. I enjoy my shots but I come back to the present after I play those shots. It automatically happens, when I focus on my skills and watch the ball and react. Sometimes I lose my wicket also, so I just play the same way. It's about trusting my processes to be honest, and I did that, and it came off tonight. The coin looked really nice so I pocketed it, asked the referee if I can have it, but he said no.

KL Rahul Punjab Kings captain:I didn't stop believing in the team, and we knew a couple of wickets will bring us back. The game went deep only because me included, we dropped some sitters. We bowled well until about 11-12 overs. We're used to this, and it's not something new for us, but a win like this brings the team together. We batted really well and bowled well in patches. We weren't consistent with the lengths but the bowlers will learn. A lot of talented, skillful players, and it's important that we back them. It was an amazing inning from Hooda, and that's the kind of fearless batting we want to see in the IPL. We have been tentative sometimes, and it's important for us to play fearlessly at times, so I am happy that the expectations are being understood and met. Gayle and Hooda were both good that way. I always go to Arshdeep for crucial overs and he enjoys the pressure. He loves being in the contest and I love throwing him the ball, and he trusts himself and trusts his skills, so that's always good to see.

Sanju Samson, RR captain: I don't have words to tell. It was avery close game, came close but unfortunately... I don't think I could have done anything more, I timed the ballwell, I felt it was a sixbut unfortunately couldn't clear the man in the deep. It's all part of the game, the bowlers can sometimes go for runs. We thought the wicket was getting better and we could chase the target down. Despite the loss, I think the team played really well.

RR 217/7 after 20 overs.

Arshdeep to bowl the last over. RR need 13 runs off 6 balls.

19.1Arshdeep to Samson, dot, slow full ball wide of off-stump, Samson swings and misses.

13 needed in 5!

19.2Arshdeep to Samson, 1 run, full ball wide of off-stump, Samson smacks the ball over point bit gets only a single.

12 needed from 4!

19.3Arshdeep to Morris, 1 run, slow low full toss wide of off-stump, Morris hits the ball to Gayle at extra-cover for a single.

11 needed in 3 balls.

19.4Arshdeep to Samson, SIX! Full ball on off-stump, Samson slaps the ball over extra-cover for a maximum!!!!!!

5 from 2!!!!!

19.5 Arshdeep to Samson, no run, full ball on off, Samson hits the ball to long-off, Samson refuses the single.

5 needed from 1!!!!!

19.6 Arshdeep Samson! WICKET! CAUGHT! SLow full ball wide of off-stump, Samson hits the ball over extra-cover but he cannot clear the boundary rope on the most important ball as the man in deep takes a catch!!!!!!!

WHAT A THILLER!!!!!!!

RR 209/6 after 19 overs.

Meredithto bowl.

18.1Meredithto Tewatia, WICKET! CAUGHT! Full delivery wide of off-stump, Tewatia swings his bat, the ball takes the toe end of the bat and goes straight to KL Rahul.

Chris Morris walks out to bat.

18.2Meredithto Morris, no run, good-length ball on off-stump, Morris hits the ball to cover.

18.3Meredithto Morris, 1 run, slow delivery on good-length, Morris guides the ball to sweeper-cover for a single.

18.4Meredithto Samson, SIX! Back of the length ball on middle and leg, Samson stays grounded in his crease and flicks the ball to send the ball back in the stands.

18.5Meredithto Samson, 1 run, good-length ball on off-stump, Samson guides the bal through cover for a single.

18.6Meredithto Morris, no run, full ball wide of off-stump, Morris swings but misses.

RR 201/5 after 18 overs.

Richardson to bowl.

17.1Richardson to Samson, FOUR! Slow fuller ball wide of off-stump, Samson smacks the ball over extra-cover!

17.2Richardson to Samson, SIX! Fuller delivery on off-stump, Samson hammers the ball over extra-cover for a boundary.

17.3Richardson to Samson, HUNDRED FOR SAMSON!!!!! LOW FULL TOSS and Samson hammers the ball through backward point!!! Take a bow Samson

17.4Richardson to Samson, 2 runs, fuller ball on middle and leg stump, Samson guides the ball to deep mid-wicket for a couple.

17.4Richardson to Samson, WIDE! Full ball fired down the leg side.

17.5Richardson to Samson, 1 run, full ball on off-stump, Samson hits the ball to deep mid-wicket for a single.

17.6Richardson to Tewatia, 1 run, full ball fired down the leg stump, Tewatia moves across to the leg stump and guides the ball to the leg side for a single.

RR 182/5 after 17 overs.

Shami to bowl.

16.1Shami to Parag, WIDE! Short ball fired down the leg side.

16.1Shami to Parag, no run, slow short ball, Parag shuffles across to guide the ball down to fine-leg but misses.

16.2Shami to Parag, WICKET! CAUGHT! Slow bouncer, Parag goes for pull, the ball kisses Parag's gloves and goes into Rahul's gloves.

Rahul Tewatia walks out to bat.

16.4Shami to Tewatia, no run, full ball wide of off-stump, Tewatia hits the ball back to Shami.

16.4Shami to Tewatia, WIDE! Full ball fired down the leg side.

16.4Shami to Tewatia, 1 run, slow short ball, Tewatia hits the ball wide of Shami and gets a single.

16.5Shami to Samson, FOUR! Fuller delivery on middle and leg stump, Samson nails the ball straight down the ground.

16.6Shami to Samson, 1 run, full-toss, Samson hits the ball down to deep mid-wicket for a single.

RR 174/4 after 16 overs.

Ashwin to bowl.

15.1 Ashwin to Samson, SIX, full ball in Samson's arc, Samson swings his heavy bat and sends the ball down the ground for a maximum!!!

15.2 Ashwin to Samson,1 run, short ball, Samson guides the ball to deep mid-wicket for a run.

15.3 Ashwin to Parag, no run, short ball on middle and leg, Parag looks to pull, Parag fails to connect and the ball goes into Rahul's gloves.

15.4 Ashwin to Parag, SIX! Full ball wide of off-stump, Parag slogs and the ball flies over long-off for a maximum!!!!!

15.5 Ashwin to Parag, SIX! Full ball wide of off-stump, Parag powers the ball over cover for another huge hit!

15.6 Ashwin to Parag, 1 run, full ball on middle stump, Parag drives the ball down to long-on for a single.

RR 154/4 after 15 overs.

Richardson to bowl.

14.1Richardson to Samson, 1 run, Samson hits the ball to wide long-on for a single.

14.2Richardson to Parag, 1 run, slow ball, Parag hits the ball to long-off for a single.

14.3Richardson to Samson, FOUR! Slow bouncer wide of off-stump, Samson cuts the ball through backward point for a boundary.

14.4Richardson to Samson, SIX! Full-toss, Samson flicks and sends the ball over deep mid-wicket for a maximum!!!

14.5Richardson to Samson, 1 run, slow full ball wide of off-stump, Samson plays the ball to cover for a single.

14.6Richardson to Parag, no run, full ball wide of off-stump, Parag swings and misses.

RR 141/4 after 14 overs.

Shami to bowl.

13.1 Shami to Samson, no run, wide yorker, Samson hits the ball to the off-side.

13.2Shami to Samson, FOUR! Slow fuller ball on middle stump, Samson swings, the ball takes the inside edge and the ball runs down to fine-leg for a boundary.

13.3 Shami to Samson, 1 run, fuller ball, Samson plays the ball to deep mid-wicket for a single.

13.4Shami to Parag, SIX! Fuller ball on middle stump, Parag flicks and sends the ball back in the stands.

13.5Shami to Parag, 1 run, short ball on off-stump, Parag goes on toes and plays the e ball to cover for a single.

13.6Shami to Samson, 1 run, full-toss, Samson drives the ball down to long-on for a single.

RR 128/4 after 13 overs.

Arshdeep to bowl.

12.1 Arshdeep to Dube, FOUR! Fuller ball, Dube swings his bat and sends the ball down to long-on.

12.2 Arshdeep to Dube, 1 run, short of the length delivery on middle stump, Dube pulls and sends the ball to deep mid-wicket for a single.

12.3Arshdeep to Samson, 1 run, good-length ball on off-stump, Samson hits the ball for a single.

12.4Arshdeep to Dube, WICKET! CAUGHT! Slow fuller ball wide of off-stump, Dube swings his bat, the ball takes the toe end of the bat and lobs high in the air, Hooda at long-off takes a comfortable catch.

Riyan Parag walks out to bat.

12.5 Arshdeep to Samson, 1 run, fuller ball on middle stump, Samson flicks the ball to deep mid-wicket for a single.

12.6Arshdeep to Parag, FOUR! Slow fuller ball on middle stump, Parag powers the ball through extra-cover for a boundary.

RR 117/3 after 12 overs.

Ashwin to bowl.

11.1 Ashwin to Samson, 1 run, loopy ball on leg stump, Samson hits the ball to long-off for a run.

11.2Ashwin to Dube, no run, fuller ball wide of off-stump, a swing and a miss by Dube.

11.3Ashwin to Dube, FOUR! Fuller ball wide of off-stump, Dube goes on one knee and slogs the ball to deep mid-wicket.

11.4Ashwin to Dube, 1 run, good-length ball on off-stump, Dube plays the ball to short third-man for a single.

11.5Ashwin to Samson, 1 run, short ball on off-stump, Samson cuts the ball to backward point for a single.

11.6Ashwin to Dube, 1 run, short ball wide of off-stump, Dube slaps the ball through extra-cover for a single.

RR 109/3 after 11 overs.

Meredithto bowl.

10.1 to Dube, 1 run, fuller ball on middle and off-stump, Dube drives the ball down the ground for a single.

10.2Meredithto Samson, SIX!Meredith bangs the ball short, Samson puls and sends the ball flying over fine-leg for a maximum!!!!

10.3Meredithto Samson, 2 runs, fuller ball on middle and leg stump, Samson guides the ball to deep mid-wicket for a couple.

10.4Meredithto Samson, FOUR! Bouncer, Samson waits and lifts the ball over KL Rahul's head for a boundary.

10.5Meredithto Samson, APPEAL FOR LBW, and the umpire raises his finger but Samson reviews. Slow bouncer, Samsom goes back to play the ball to the leg side. The ball raps high on the thigh. The bowler had appealed. And the umpire had raised his finger. The review shows that the ball is missing the stumps.

10.6Meredithto Samson, 1 run, short ball, Samson plays the ball to deep mid-wicket for a single.

RR 95/3 after 10 overs.

Ashwin to bowl.

9.1Ashwin to Samson, 1 run, fuller ball on middle and leg, Samson plays the ball down to deep mid-wicket for a single.

9.2Ashwin to Dube, 1 run, fuller ball on middle and leg, Dube drives the ball down to long-on for a single.

9.2Ashwin to Samson, WIDE! Short ball fired down the leg side.

9.2Ashwin to Samson, WIDE! Another short ball fired down the leg side.

9.3 Ashwin to Samson, Back of the length ball on off-stump, Samson hits the ball down to long-on for a single.

9.4Ashwin to Dube, fuller ball on off-stump, Dube guides the ball down to long-on for a single.

9.5Ashwin to Samson, no run, slow good-length ball on middle and leg stump, Samson steps out of his crease and gets an inside edge and the ball hits the pads.

9.6Ashwin to Samson, 2 runs, fuller ball wide of off-stump, Samson drives the ball through extra-cover for a couple.

RR 87/3 after 9 overs.

Meredith to bowl.

8.1Meredith to Samson, SIX! Fuller ball on off-stump, Samson swings the bat and sends the ball over long-off for a maximum!!!!

8.2Meredith to Smason, no run, back of the length ball on middle and leg stump, Samson plays the ball to the leg side.

8.3Meredith to Samson, 1 run, slow good-length ball on middle stump, Samson plays the ball high in the air, two men in deep makes a mess of the chance and the ball is dropped.

8.4Meredith to Dube, no run, good-length ball on middle and leg stump, Dube works the ball to the leg-side.

8.5Meredith to Dube, 1 run, good-length ball wide of off-stump, Dube runs the ball down to third-man for a single.

8.6Meredith to Samson, 1 run, slow good-length ball on off-stump, Samson plays a deft cut to send the ball down to third-man for a single.

RR 78/3 after 8 overs.

Richardson to bowl.

7.1Richardson to Buttler, 1 run, fuller ball, Buttler plays the ball to mid-off for a single.

7.2Richardson to Samson, 1 run, back of the length ball, Samson plays the ball to the leg side for a single.

7.3Richardson to Buttler, WICKET! BOWLED! Slow yorker and Buttler is foxed. The ball goes through Buttler's defenses and hits the stumps.

Shivam Dube walks out to bat.

7.4Richardson to Dube, FOUR! Short and wide ball, Dube cuts the ball through backward point for a boundary.

7.5Richardson to Dube, 2 runs, back of the length ball on off-stump, Dube punches the ball through extra-cover for a couple.

7.6Richardson to Dube, 2 runs, slow good-length ball on off-stump, Dube drives the ball through cover for another couple of runs.

RR 68/2 after 7 overs.

M Ashwin to bowl.

6.1Ashwin to Samson, 1 run, short ball on off-stump, Samson goes back in his crease and plays the ball to deep mid-wicket for a single. OH, DEAR! IT IS A NO-BALL

FREE HIT!

6.1Ashwin to Buttler, FOUR! Fuller ball on off-stump, Buttler steps out of his crease and creams the ball dnw the ground for a boundary.

6.2Ashwin to Buttler, 1 run, short ball, Buttler plays the ball to the leg side for a single.

6.3Ashwin to Samson, no run, short ball, Samson plays the ball to cover.

6.4Ashwin to Samson, no run, yorker on leg stump, the ball hits Samson's toes.

6.5Ashwin to Samson, 1 Leg Bye! appeal for LBW! Short ball which raps on the pads, the ump. gives that as not-out, Samson takes a single.

6.6Ashwin to Buttler, 1 leg bye, short ball on middle and leg, the ball raps on the pads and goes to fine-leg, Buttler takes a single.

RR 59/2 after 6 overs.

Arshdeep to bowl.

5.1Arshdeep to Samson, FOUR! Back of length ball on middle stump, Samson goes back in his crease and flicks the ball to deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

5.2Arshdeep to Samson, 1 run, fuller ball on off-stump, Samson drives the ball to the man at sweeper-cover for a single.

5.3Arshdeep to Buttler, no run, slow fuller ball wide of off-stump, Buttler goes for a drive but misses.

5.4Arshdeep to Buttler, 1 run, full-toss wide of off-stump, Buttler drives the ball to extra-cover for a single.

5.5Arshdeep to Samson, FOUR! Wide full-toss, Samson reaches for the ball and cuts the ball through point for a boundary.

5.6Arshdeep to Samson, 1 run, good-length ball on off-stump, Samson drives the ball to the man at sweeper-cover for a single.

RR 48/2 after 5 overs.

Riley Meredith to bowl.

4.1 Meredith to Buttler, FOUR! Full and fast ball on off-stump, Buttler powers the ball straight down the ground for a boundary.

4.2Meredith to Buttler, FOUR! Fuller ball on off-stump, Buttler drives the ball behind point for a boundary.

4.3Meredith to Buttler, FOUR! Good-length delivery wide of off-stump, Buttler moves across his stumps and scoops the ball to send it down to fine-leg.

4.4Meredith to Buttler, FOUR! FOUR in FOUR! Fuller ball on off-stump, Buttler drives the ball through extra-cover for a boundary.

4.5Meredith to Buttler, 1 run, slow good-length ball on off-stump, Buttler works the ball to third-man for a single.

4.6Meredith to Samson, 1 run, fuller ball on middle and leg, Samson flicks the ball to backward square-leg for a run.

RR 30/2 after 4 overs.

Arshdeep Singh to bowl.

3.1Arshdeep to Vohra, no run, good-length ball on of off-stump, Vohra plays the ball to cover.

3.2Arshdeep Singh to Vohra, WICKET! CAUGHT! Slow fuller ball wide of off-stump, Vohra hits the ball back in Arshdeep's direction. Arshdeep stretches his hands and plucks the ball from thin air.

Jos Buttler walks out to bat.

3.3 Arshdeep to Buttler, 1 run, fuller ball wide of off-stump, Buttler drives the ball to the man at sweeper-cover for a single.

3.4 Arshdeep to Samson, DROPPED! Fuller ball on off-stump, Samson drives, the ball takes a good thick edge and flies to Rahul who makes a mess and drops the ball.

3.5Arshdeep to Samson, no run, good-length ball on off-stump, Samson guides the ball to the man at short third.

3.6Arshdeep to Samson, FOUR! Back of the length ball on off-stump, Samson drives the ball down to third-man.

RR 25/1 after 3 overs.

Shami to bowl.

2.1 Shami to Smason, no run, good-length ball on off-stump, Samson blocks the ball with a straight bat,

2.2Shami to Smason, no run, good-length delivery on middle and leg, Samson plays the ball to the leg side.

2.3Shami to Smason, no run, back of the length ball on middle and leg, Samson is early in his pull and the ball hits him in the stomach.

2.4Shami to Smason, FOUR! Fuller delivery on off-stump, Samson times the ball through cover for a boundary.

2.5Shami to Smason, no run, good-length delivery on off-stump, Samson hits the ball to mid-off.

2.6Shami to Smason, FOUR! Back of the length ball on middle stump, Samson pulls and sends the ball to deep mid-wicket.

RR 15/1 after 2 overs.

Jhye Richardson to bowl.

1.1Richardson to Vohra, WIDE! Full ball fired down the leg side.

1.1Richardson to Vohra, SIX! Fuller delivery drifting into the pads, Vohra flicks and the ball flies over backward square-leg.

1.2Richardson to Vohra, no run, good-length delivery on off-stump, Vohra pushes the ball into cover.

1.3Richardson to Vohra, no run, good-length ball on off-stump, Vohra plays the ball to backward point.

1.4Richardson to Vohra, FOUR! Back of the length delivery drifting into the pads, Vohra flicks the ball behind square on the leg-side for a boundary.

1.5Richardson to Vohra, no run, fuller ball on off-stump, Vohra closes the face of his bat early as the ball takes the leading edge and goes to cover.

1.6Richardson to Vohra, 1 run, DROPPED, fuller ball, Vohra plays the ball high in the air, Ashwin at deep drops the ball.

RR 4/1 after 1 over.

Mohammed Shami to bowl the first over.

0.1 Shami to Stokes, no run, fuller ball wide of off-stump, Stokes drives the ball straight and the ball hits the stumps at the bowler's end.

0.2Shami to Stokes, no run, good-length ball on middle and leg stump, Stokes plays the ball to the leg side.

0.3Shami to Stokes, WICKET! CAUGHT! Bouncer from Shami, Stokes goes for a pull, the ball hits the lower end of the bat and lobs high in the air, three men converge to take the ball and in the end it is Shami who completes the catch.

walks out to bat.

0.4 Shami to Samson, no run, good-length ball on off-stump, Samson pushes the ball to cover.

0.5 Shami to Samson, FOUR! Short ball on middle and leg, Samson whips the ball to deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

0.6 Shami to Samson, no run, good-length ball on off-stump, Samson hits the ball to backward point.

Back live! The chase is about to commence. Punjab Kings players are in a huddle. After a quick chat, the players disperse on the field. And out walk Ben Stokes along with Manan Vohra.

PBKS 221/6 after 20 overs.

Sakriya to bowl.

19.1Sakriya to Rahul, FOUR! Slow fuller ball wide of off-stump, Rahul slaps the ball over extra-cover for a boundary.

19.2Sakriya to Rahul, WICKET! CAUGHT! Slow fuller ball, Rahul hits the ball to deep mid-wicket, Tewatia at deep just on the boundary rope takes the catch. He releases the ball before walking over the rope. He come back in and completes a good catch.

Jhye Richardson walks out to bat.

19.3Sakriya to Shahrukh, no run, slow fuller ball wide of off-stump, a swing and a miss.

19.4Sakriya to Shahrukh, 1 run, fuller ball, Shahrukh hits the ball to deep mid-wicket for a single.

19.5Sakriya to Richardson, no run, slow fuller ball, Richardson goes for a cut but misses.

19.6Sakriya to Richardson, WICKET! CAUGHT! Slow fuller ball, Richardson hits the ball high in the air, Morris in deep takes a good catch.

PBKS 216/4 after 19 overs.

Mustafizur to bowl. walks out to bat. Shahrukh Khan walks out to bat.

18.1Mustafizur to Rahul, 1 run, back of the length ball, wide of off-stump, Rahul hits the ball to short third-man for a single.

18.2Mustafizur to Shahrukh, 1 run, show short ball, Shahrukh hits the ball down to long-off for a single.

18.3 Mustafizur to Rahul, no run, slow ball, Rahul goes for a reverse hit but fails to connect. Oh no! it is a NO BALL!

FREE HIT!

18.3Mustafizur to Rahul, WIDE, fuller ball way outside the off-stump.

FREE HIT!

18.3Mustafizur to Rahul, FOUR! Fuller ball wide of off-stump, Rahul thumps the ball over extra-cover for a boundary.

18.4Mustafizur to Rahul, 2 runs, slow short ball wide of off-stump, Rahul cuts the ball through backward point for a couple.

18.5 Mustafizur to Rahul, 1 run, slow back of the length ball, Rahul cuts the ball to cover for a single.

19.6 Mustafizur to Shahrukh, FOUR! Back of the length ball, Shahrukh hooks and sends the ball to backward square-leg for a boundary.

PBKS 201/4 after 18 overs.

Morris to bowl.

17.1Morris to Rahul, SIX! Slow fuller ball wide of off-stump, Rahul moves to the off-side and flicks the ball over fine-leg fence.

17.2Morris to Rahul, 1 run, slow fuller ball wide of off-stump, Rahul works the ball to fine-leg for a single.

17.3Morris to Hooda, WICKET! CAUGHT! Slow fuller ball, Hooda hits the ball high in the air. The ball has the height but not the distance as Riyan Parag at deep takes an easy catch.

Nicholas Pooran walks out to bat.

17.4 Morris to Rahul, SIX! Launched over deep mid-wicket, short ball wide of off-stump, Rahul swings his bat and sends the ball back in the stands.

17.5Morris to Rahul, 1 run, slow fuller ball on off-stump, Rahul hits the ball down to long-on for a single.

17.6Morris to Pooran, WICKET! CAUGHT! Slow short ball! Pooran pulls, the ball goes to short fine where Sakariya puts in a dive and completes a stunning catch!

PBKS 187/2 after 17 overs.

Sakariya to bowl.

16.1Sakariya to Hooda, no run, slow short ball on off-stump, Hooda makes room to cut the ball to cut but the ball goes past the outside edge of the bat.

16.2Sakariya to Hooda, 1 run, slow short ball wide of off-stump, Hooda gets an inside edge and the ball rolls down to fine-leg for a single.

16.3Sakariya to Rahul, 1 run, slow short ball on middle and leg stump, Rahul cuts the ball to backward point for a single.

16.4Sakariya to Hooda, no run, slow fuller ball wide of off-stump, Hooda fails to connect.

16.5Sakariya to Hooda, FOUR! Slow short ball, Hooda waits and flips the ball over the man at short fine-leg for a boundary.

16.6Sakariya to Hooda, FOUR! Fuller ball on middle stump, the ball is in Hooda's slot, he swings his bat and sends the ball down the ground for a boundary. IT IS A NO BALL as the bowler has overstepped.

FREE HIT!

16.6Sakariya to Hooda, FOUR! Slow fuller ball wide of off-stump, Hooda swings his bat, the ball takes the toe end of the bat and goes over the man at backward point for a boundary.

PBKS 172/2 after 16 overs.

Morristo bowl.

15.1 Morris to Hooda, SIX! Fuller-length ball on middle stump, Hooda almost brings out the 'Helicopter' to send the ball back in the stands.

15.2 Morris to Hooda, 2 runs, good-length ball on middle and leg stump, Hooda guides the ball behind square on the leg side for a couple.

15.3Morris to Hooda, slow fuller ball on off-stump, Hooda drives the ball to cover for a single. With the single Hooda also gets to his FIFTY!

15.4Morris to Rahul, no run, slow fuller ball on off-stump, Rahul wanted to slog but could not connect.

15.5Morris to Rahul, 1 run, slow fuller ball on middle stump, Rahul hits the ball down to long-on for a single.

15.6Morris to Hooda, 1 run, back of the length ball on middle and leg stump, Hooda hits the ball to cover for a single.

PBKS 161/2 after 15 overs.

Mustafizur to bowl.

14.1Mustafizur to Hooda, 1 run, DROPPED! Fuller ball on off-stump, Hooda skies the ball high in the air, Buttler running backwards drops the ball, Hooda gets a single.

14.2 Mustafizur to Rahul, 2runs, short ball on off-stump, Rahul cuts the ball behind point for a couple.

14.3Mustafizur to Rahul, no run, good-length ball wide of off-stump, Rahul cuts the ball straight to the man at backward point.

14.4Mustafizur to Rahul, SIX! Mustfizur pitches the ball short on leg, Rahul goes back in his crease and pulls to send the ball back in the stands.

14.5Mustafizur to Rahul, 1 run, slow short ball wide of off-stump, Rahul cuts the ball down to third-man for a single.

14.6Mustafizur to Hooda, slow good-length ball on off-stump, Hooda pushes the ball through cover for a single.

PBKS 150/2 after 14 overs.

Gopal to bowl.

13.1 Gopal to Rahul, 1 run, short ball on middle and leg stump, Rahul plays the ball down to deep mid-wicket for a single.

13.2 Gopal to Hooda, SIX! Fuller ball on off-stump, the ball is in Hooda's arc and he swings his bat to send the ball flying over long-off for a maximum!!!!

13.3 Gopal to Hooda, SIX! TWO IN TWO! Fuller ball on middle stump, Hooda sweeps and the ball just clears Shivam Dube at square leg for a maximum!!!

13.4Gopal to Hooda, 2runsfuller ball on middle stump, Hooda sweeps the ball to fine-leg for a couple.

13.5Gopal to Hooda, SIX! Fuller ball on off-stump, Hooda swings and sends the ball back in the stands.

13.6 Gopal to Hooda, 1 run, fuller ball on leg stump, Hooda hits the ball down to long-on for a single.

PBKS 110/2 after 12 overs.

Gopal to bowl.

11.1 Gopal to Rahul, 1 run, fuller ball, Rahul plays the ball down to long-on for a single.

11.2 Gopal to Hooda, 1 run, tossed up delivery, Hooda plays the ball down to long-on for a single.

11.3 Gopal to Rahul, 1 run, short ball, Rahul plays the ball down to long-on for a single.

11.4 Gopal to Hooda, no run, good-length ball on off-stump, Hooda plays the ball back to Gopal.

11.5 Gopal to Hooda, FOUR! Fuller ball on middle stump, Hood goes on one knee and sweeps the ball to square-leg for a bounadry.

11.6 Gopal to Hooda, 1 run, short ball, Hooda plays the ball to the off-side for a single.

PBKS 102/2 after 11 overs.

Tewatia to bowl.

10.1 Tewatia to Rahul, 2 run, fuller ball, Rahul dirves the ball down to long-on for a couple.

10.2 Tewatia to Rahul , 1 run, short ball, Rahul pulls and sends the ball to sqiare-leg for a single.

10.3 Tewatia to Hooda, 1 run, fuller ball, Hooda drives the ball down to long-on for a single.

10.4 Tewatia to Rahul, 2 runs, fuller ball, Rahul drives the ball through cover for a couple.

10.5 Tewatia to Rahul, SIX! Fuller ball, Rahul takes a step out of his crease and lifst the ball over Tewatia down the ground for a maximum.

10.6 Tewatai to Rahul, 1 run, fuller ball, Rahul plays the ball behind point for a single.

PBKS 89/2 after 10 overs.

Riyan Parag to bowl.

9.1 Parag to Rahul, FOUR! Half-tracker wide of off-stump, Rahul hammers the ball through cover for a boundary.

9.2 Parag to Rahul, 1 run, fuller ball on middle stump, Rahul drives the ball through cover for a single.

9.3 Parag to Gayle, 1 run, fuller ball on middle stump, Gayle drives the ball down to long-off for a single.

9.4 Parag to Rahul, 1 run, Parag bangs the ball short, Rahul works the ball down to long-on for a single.

9.5Parag to Gayle, WICKET! CAUGHT! Fuller ball on middle stump, Gayle swings his bat and sends the ball straight down the throat of Ben Stokes at long-on.

Deepak Hooda walks out to bat.

9.6 Parag to Rahul, 1 run, short ball, Rahul hits the ball through cover for a single.

PBKS 82/1 after 9 overs.

Rahul Tewatiato bowl.

8.1 Tewatia to Gayle, 1 run, short ball wide of off-stump, Gayle slaps the ball down to long-off for a single.

8.2 Tewatia to Rahul, 1 run, fuller ball on leg stump, Rahul works the ball down to long-on for a single.

8.3Tewatia to Gayle, no run, short ball wide of off-stump, Gayle cuts the ball to the man at cover.

8.4Tewatia to Gayle, FOUR! Back of the length ball wide of off-stump, Gayle thumps the ball through cover for a boundary.

8.5Tewatia to Gayle, DROPPED! Short ball wide of off-stump, Gayle hammers the ball straight back to Tewatia who drops the ball.

8.6Tewatia to Gayle, SIX! Fuller ball wide of off-stump, Gayle goes on one knee and slogs the ball over cow corner for a maximum!!!!!!

PBKS 70/1 after 8 overs.

Ben Stokes to bowl.

7.1 Stokes to Rahul, FOUR! Fuller ball on off-stump, Rahul smokes the ball through extra-cover for a boundary.

7.2 Stokes to Rahul, 1 run, back of the length ball on off-stump, Rahul goes on his back foot and plays the ball through cover for a single.

7.3 Stokes to Gayle, SIX! Short ball wide of off-stump, Gayle swings his bat and sends the ball flying over deep mid-wicket fence and deep in the empty stands.

7.4 Stokes to Gayle, norun, slow fuller ball on off-stump, a swing and a miss from the BOSS.

7.5 Stokes to Gayle, no run, big shout for LBW, fuller ball on middle and leg stump, the ball hits the pads as Stokes appeals but the umpire is not interested.

7.6 Stokes to Gayle, no run, short ball wide of off-stump, Gayle gets an inside edge and the ball rolls back to Stokes.

PBKS 58/1 after 7 overs.

Shreyas Gopal to bowl.

6.1 Gopal to Gayle, 1 run, short ball, Gayle cuts the ball through cover for a single.

6.2 Gopal to Rahul, no run, short ball, Rahul hits the ball back to Gopal.

6.3 Gopal to Rahul, FOUR! Fuller ball wide of off-stump, Rahul thumps the ball over extra-cover, Stokes at the boundary rope drops the ball and Rahul gets a boundary,

6.4Gopal to Rahul, 1 run, fuller ball, Rahul plays the ball down to long-on for a single.

6.5 Gopla to Gayle, FOUR! Back of the length ball wide of off-stump, Gayle cracks the ball in front of square for a boundary.

6.6Gopla to Gayle, 2 runs, back of the length ball wide of off-stump,Gayle cuts the ball through point for a couple.

PBKS 46/1 after 6 overs.

Morris to bowl.

5.1 Morris to Gayle, no run, fuller ball on middle and leg, the bal raps on the pads and goes around the corner.

5.2 Morris to Gayle, no run, fuller ball on off-stump, Gayle swings his heavy bat but fails to connect.

5.3 Morris to Gayle, 2 run, back of the length ball wide of off-stump, Gayle mistimes the ball over cover and gets a couple of runs.

5.4 Morris to Gayle, no run, back of the length ball, Gayle ducks and leaves the ball for the keeper.

5.5 Morris to Gayle, FOUR! Fuller ball on off-stump, Gayle tonks the ball just over the fielder at mid-on for a boundary.

5.6 Morris to Gayle, 1 run, bit short from Morris, Gayle pulls and sends the ball down to square-leg for a single.

PBKS 39/1 after 5 overs.

Mustafizur to bowl.

4.1 Mustafizur to Gayle, no run, good-length ball on off and middle stump, Gayle goe back in his crease and blocks the ball.

4.2Mustafizur to Gayle, 1run, back of the length ball on off-stump, Gayle gets an inside edge as the ball goes just around the corner, Gayle takes a single.

4.3 Mustafizur to Rahul, 1 run, back of the length ball on off-stump, Rahul drives the ball through cover for a single.

4.3Mustafizur to Gayle, WIDE! Fuller ball fired down the leg side.

4.4 Mustafizur to Gayle, FOUR! Back of the length ball and Gayle powers the ball down the ground for a boundary.

4.5Mustafizur to Gayle, no run, back of the length ball on off-stump, Gayle hits the ball to cover.

4.6 Mustafizur to Gayle, fuller ball on off-stump, Gayle hits the ball to mid-on and darts down the other end for a single.

PBKS 31/1 after 4 overs.

Chris Morris to bowl.

3.1 Morris to Rahul, EDGE and FOUR! Fuller delivery on off-stump, Rahul opes the face of his bat to edge the ball wide of Ben Stokes to run the ball down to third-man for a boundary.

3.2Morris to Rahul, 2 runs, good-length delivery on off-stump, Rahul works the ball wide of backward point, the fielder in the deep does a good job to pull the back and save a boundary.

3.3Morris to Rahul, no run, fuller ball on off-stump, Rahul plays the ball to cover, Rahul wants a single but Gayle is not interested.

3.4 Morris to Rahul, no run, Morris pulls the length back a bit and pitches the ball on off-stump, Rahul goes on his backfoot and blocks the ball.

3.4Morris to Rahul, WIDE! Short ball fired down the leg side.

3.5Morris to Rahul, 1 run, slow fuller delivery on middle and leg stump, Rahul flicks the ball to mid-wicket for a single.

3.6 Morris to Gayle, 1 run, fuller ball on middle stump, the ball takes a leading edge and flies past cover as the big man takes a single.

PBKS 22/1 after 3 overs.

Sakariya to bowl.

2.1 Sakaraiya to Rahul, no run, fuller ball on off-stump, Rahul pushes the ball to cover.

2.2 Sakariya to Rahul, no run, appeal for LBW as the ball hits the pads, but the ball is missing the leg stump.

2.3 Sakariya to Rahul, 1 run, fuller delivery on off-stump, Rahul drives the ball through cover for a single.

2.4 Sakariya to Mayank, WICKET! CAUGHT! Sakariya bowls full wide of off-stump, Mayank makes room to play the drive. The ball takes a thick outside edge and flies into Sanju Samson's gloves.

Chris Gayle walks out to bat.

2.5 Sakraiya to Gayle, no run, good-length ball wide of off-stump, Gayle lifts his bat and leaves the ball for the keeper.

2.6 Sakariya to Gayle, no run, good-length ball wide of off-stump, Gayle leaves the ball for Samson.

PBKS 21/0 after 2 overs.

Mistafizur Rahman to bowl.

1.1Mistafizur to Mayank, 2runs, good-length ball on off-stump, Mayank guides the ball behind point and gets a couple of runs.

1.2Mistafizur to Mayank, no run, good-length ball on middle stump, the ball shapes back in and hits the pads, Mustafizur appeals but the umpire is not interested.

1.3Mistafizur to Mayank, 1 run, good-length delivery on middle and leg stump, Mayank works the ball to the leg-side for a single.

1.4 Mustafizur to Rahul, 1 run, fuller delivery on off-stump, the ball comes back in and takes the inside edge to go to the leg side, Rahul settles for a single.

1.5 Mistafizur to Mayank, WIDE, fuller delivery fired down the leg side.

1.5Mistafizur to Mayank, 2runs, fuller delivery on middle and leg stump, Mayank plays the ball to deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

1.6Mistafizur to Mayank, FOUR! Mustafizur bowls full and Mayank works the ball wide of the man at mid-on for a boundary.

PBKS 10/0 after 1 over.

Chetan Sakariya to bowl the first over.

0.1Sakariya to Rahul, no run, fuller delivery on middle and leg stump, Rahul drives the ball to mid-on.

0.2Sakariya to Rahul, 1 run, good-length delivery on off-stump, Rahul gets an inside edge, the ball rolls around the corner as Rahul opens his account with a single.

0.3Sakariya to Mayank, FOUR! Sakariya bangs the ball short wide of off-stump, Mayank cuts the ball through point for a boundary.

0.4Sakariya to Mayank, no run, back of the length delivery on off-stump, Mayank cuts the ball to the man at short third-man.

0.5Sakariya to Mayank, 1 run, fuller delivery on middle and off-stump, Mayank drives the ball to mid-off and takes a single

0.6 Sakariya to Rahul, FOUR! Good-length delivery drifting downleg, Rahul helps the ball down to fine-leg for a boundary.

Right then it is time for the cricket to begin. The players and the two umpires have taken the field. KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal are the two openers for PBKS.

Harsha Bhogle summarizes the game plan of the two teams for us in this tweet

Teams

Punjab Kings: KL Rahul(w/c), Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran, Deepak Hooda, Shahrukh Khan, Jhye Richardson, Murugan Ashwin, Riley Meredith, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh

Rajasthan Royals: Jos Buttler(w), Manan Vohra, Ben Stokes, Sanju Samson(c), Riyan Parag, Shivam Dube, Rahul Tewatia, Chris Morris, Shreyas Gopal, Chetan Sakariya, Mustafizur Rahman

KL Rahul, PBKS captain:We all know the history of Wankhede. Everyone wants to bowl first. But we would want to play good cricket. We can't really pinpoint anything particular. It is about the batting group helping the bowling group and vice versa. We were really happy with the auctions. Rilye Meredith, Jhye Richardson, Chris Gayle, and Nichollas Pooran are our foreign players.

Sanju Samson, RR captain: We are going to bowl first. We have challenges to face while picking the XI. Chris Morris, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, and Mustafizur Rahman are our overseas players. Very excited about the role. IT is an honor to play and work with Kumar Sangakkarra.

Toss

Rajasthan Royalshave won toss and opted to bowl.

Just In!

Mistafizur Rahman, Shivam Dube, and Manan Vohra have been handed RR caps. These three players will be playing their first match for the Royals tonight. In the opposite camp Shahrukh Khan, Riley Meredith, Jhye Richardson will be making their debuts for the Punjab Kings. Plenty of fresh faces to look forward to in the match.

Pitch Report

Dew will have some say in the evening says Simon Doull. The pitch will be a high-scoring one adds Doull.

Deccan Herald's Dream XI

KL Rahul (Captain), Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ben Stokes, Rahul Tewatia, Chris Morris, Shreyas Gopal, Mohammad Shami, Ravi Bishnoi, Murugan Ashwin

Impact Player for PBKS

Nicholas Pooran: In 164 T20 matches, Nicholas Pooran has smacked 206 fours and 217 sixes. His powerful batting can make a difference and take Punjab home in tight chases.

Impact Player for RR

Ben Stokes: The English all-rounder played just eight games last time but was able to compile 285 runs with one hundred and one fifty. His availability from the start is a big boost for the Royals. Stokes is also a supremely talented fielder.

Team News

No fitness concern for either team.

Last five matches

Punjab Kings: L-L-W-W-W

Rajasthan Royals: L-W-W-L-W

Head to Head record

Matches Played: 21

Rajasthan Royals wins: 12

Punjab Kings wins: 9

Can you guess who scored a hundred and who was out on 99?

PBKS' Threats: A poor record against RR. Last season, the Kings lost both games against the Royals. Who can forget the Royal heist when Rahul Tewatia snatched a win from the jaws of defeat with five sixes in an over against Sheldon Cottrell?

PBKS' Opportunities: They play their first three games at the Wankhede, which is a fast pitch. Shami, Meredith, and Richardson have a shot at making a mark and stamping their authority on the tournament. Richardson and Meredith come into the IPL after an excellent season at Australia's Big Bash League. This could be the attack to put PBKS on top.

PBKS' Weaknesses: It will be difficult to find spots for all-rounders. Pooran and Gayle are needed for a strong batting core. Jhye Richardson and Riley Meredith are also required to support Mohammad Shami in the pace attack. That leaves all-rounders Fabian Allen and Moises Henriques on the bench and wrecks the team balance.

PBKS Strengths: Batting firepower at their disposal. KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, and Nicholas Pooran make a potent top order that's among the best around. Last season, Rahul and Agarwal combined to get 102 fours while Gayle and Pooran powered 48 sixes. If they have a good season, the opposition bowlers will be left with no answers.

PBKS' SWOT ANALYSIS

RR's Threats: The RR team management has shown impatience with captains. With the team finishing last on the points table in 2020, the management got rid of Steve Smith and appointed Sanju Samson as the skipper for this season. The pressure will be on Samson who has been criticized for starting seasons well but fading very quickly.

RR's Opportunities: RR broke the bank and bought South African all-rounder Chris Morris for a whopping Rs. 16.25 Cr, the highest price tag ever in the IPL auction. When Morris takes the field, he will have the burden of expectation on his shoulders. However, this is also a chance for Morris to prove his worth as the new leader of the pace attack. Morris has a decent IPL record. In 70 IPL matches, he has got 80 wickets at an average of 23.98 while maintaining an economy of 7.81. Morris is a handy lower-order batsman too. Morris has 551 IPL runs and a high score of 82 not out.

RR's Weaknesses: The loss of Jofra Archer is the biggest blow to the team's chances. The English pacer has got 46 wickets in the last three seasons. Archer has averaged 18.25 in 2020, 26.45 in 2019, and 21.66 in 2018. The pacer's IPL career economy of 7.13 is the best for any RR bowler. With Archer missing due to injury, RR will struggle to contain oppositions in the Powerplay and at the death.

RRStrengths: Flexibility and depth in bowling and batting. Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson can switch wicketkeeping roles as per the team requirements. The team’s core comprising Ben Stokes, Mahipal Lomror, Shivam Dube, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Chris Morris, and Shreyas Gopal are all comfortable with the bat and the ball. So, RR have at least six players who can deliver as all-rounders.

RR's SWOT ANALYSIS

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