RR vs SRH | Player Ratings: Sanju Samson, Liam Livingstone gun down Sunrisers Hyderabad to keep Rajasthan Royals alive
Liam Livingstone and Sanju Samson’s brilliance while chasing a modest total of 161 helped Rajasthan Royals beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets to keep their side alive in the tournament. Their bowlers did a fantastic job by chipping wickets regularly and restricting SRH to a par total.
Ajinkya Rahane (6/10): After being liberated from the captaincy duties, Ajinkya Rahane has looked like a different cricketer altogether. He was on the brink of playing another impactful innings, but it wasn’t to be as he floundered on 39. The intent was right, however, his eagerness to take on Shakib cost him his wicket. The fact that the situation didn’t demand anything fancy will only make Rahane rue about his dismissal.
Liam Livingstone (7.5/10): After a forgettable outing against Mumbai Indians, Livingstone ensured he grabbed this opportunity with both hands. Watching Rahane and Livingstone wreak havoc at the top, rendered batting a joy to behold. The surface was a tricky one and the Royals needed to make the most of the new ball, which was quite effectively done by Livingstone.
Sanju Samson (8.5/10): This is the kind of temperament and composure one expects from Samson; he always had the ingredients but has failed to live up to it. After the openers set a good platform, it was pivotal for the rest to carry on the momentum and ensure a sound win. Samson negotiated with some flair and made sure that there were no hiccups in finishing off the game. Not to forget, his awareness behind the stumps resulted in Manish Pandey’s fall, who was taking the game away from the Royals.
Steve Smith (7/10): Let’s talk about that catch to dismiss Warner first, then we’ll discuss his batting. After a sloppy start on the field, Smith led the side with example by cupping a fantastic catch at mid-off to get rid of an in-form Warner. With the bat, Smith got his side on the brink of a victory but fell prey to Khaleel Ahmed’s persistence eventually. The Australian earns an extra point for smart field placements and astute bowling changes.
Ashton Turner (5/10): That first run was no less than a century for Turner, who bagged three golden ducks this season on a trot. His run was quite reminiscent to Gautam Gambhir’s back in 2014. However, the relief on his face after running the single and the smiles from his dugout and Warner made the day. Cricket is a wonderful game, and moments like this only adds to the beauty. The job was almost done when Turner took guard and ensured the target was gunned down without any turnarounds.
Riyan Parag (7/10): Not many 17-year-old get a chance to feature in the IPL, but Riyan Parag has not only played at such a tender age but also made a name for himself with impressive performances. After a quiet first over, Parag’s inexperience was brutally exploited by Manish Pandey in the second. But the all-rounder gave a testament to his toughness and agility by making amends in the third over.
Stuart Binny (2/10): With not much help in the surface and a blazing Manish Pandey at the crease, a bowler of Binny’s pace was bound to get hammered. After conceding 10 runs in the first over, Binny was taken off the attack and rightly so. Not his day.
Jaydev Unadkat (8/10): Guess the biggest mystery of the season? Well, why the Royals have persisted with Jaydev Unadkat despite repeated failures has to be the biggest question of the IPL. Saying that Unadkat has been expensive with the ball would be an understatement, such bad has been his form this season. However, as a turn of events, Unadkat justified his huge price tag for the very first time this season by cupping few catches, and more importantly, bagging two wickets for just 26 runs in four overs.
Varun Aaron (6/10): The Man-of-the-Match from the previous game, Aaron was right on the money with the new ball and the deadly swing was clearly visible, which was a byproduct of his county stint. Rajasthan’s sloppy fielding didn’t let the lanky bowler maintain the pressure in his first, but he came back strong in the second spell. Though his new ball exploits have developed, he still needs to hone his skills in the death overs.
Oshane Thomas (8/10): If numbers are not a parameter to judge then Oshane Thomas was Royals’ best bowler tonight. He not only got the prized scalp of David Warner but also kept things under check with sheer pace and bounce. Figures of 28 for 2 may not look incredible, but add Warner and Saha’s wicket to it, the bowler will deserve a Man-of-the-Match award for this.
Shreyas Gopal (7.5/10): With RR not helping themselves by being sloppy on the field, Shreyas Gopal infused some momentum by getting the better of Kane Williamson with a peach of a delivery. In T20s, an over or a wicket can change the course of the game. Pandey was batting on a different surface altogether while Royals were desperately looking for a wicket, Gopal broke SRH’s spine and swung the momentum back in his final over.
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