Follow the LIVE blog of the Indian Premier League match between Punjab Kings (KXIP) and Rajasthan Royals.
LIVE COMMENTARY
Dot ball to begin. Single from Samson. 12 from 4 balls. Single from Morris. SIX! Arshdeep misses the mark and Samson smacks it over covers for a six! 5 from 2 balls. He hit it to long off but he turns down the single. FIVE FROM 1 BALL. WICKET! Samson goes for the big booming drive over covers but he doesn't get the timing on it and the catch is completed by Hooda! A stunning final over from Arshdeep! Samson's 63-ball 119 goes in vain but what a monumental effort from the new Royals skipper.
Arshdeep on for the final over
RR 209/6 in 19 overs: WICKET! Some respite for Meredith as he gets the wicket of Tewatia, who chases a wide delivery and nicks it behind to Rahul. Morris is the new man in. Meredith drifts on to the pads and Samson clips it over square leg for a six! Just eight runs from the over. Royals need 13 from the over.
Meredith returns for his final over
RR 201/5 in 18 overs: Back of the hand slower ball and Samson lofts it over covers for a four. He follows it up with a magnificient six! He holds the pose for good measure! He moves to 98.. 100 for SANJU SAMSON! Full and wide from Richardson and Samson slices it behind short third man for a four. He needed just 54 balls. 200 up for Royals.
Richardson comes on
RR 182/5 in 17 overs: WICKET! Much-needed for Punjab! Well-dorected bouncer from Shami and Parag gloves it behind to Rahul. Rahul Tewatia comes in at No. 6. Crucial boundary for Royals as Samson smashes it straight for a four.
Shami comes on
TIME OUT TAKEN
RR 174/4 in 16 overs: In the slot and just where Samson likes it. The Royals skipper tonks it high into the stands for a six! Parag gets into the act, too! Ashwin give it air and Parag lofts it just over the hands of the long off fielder for another six. Tossed up wide and Parag gets a clen connection this time. Third six of the over. 20 runs from the over.
Ashwin replaces Shami
RR 154/4 in 15 overs: Two singles to start the over before Samson cuts loose. A cut shot behind square for a four before he dispatched a full to the leg side for a six! Dot ball to finish the over. 13 runs from it. Samson moves to 76 off 47 balls.
Richardson replaces Arshdeep
RR 141/4 in 14 overs: Shami drifts on to the pads and Samson helps it behind fine for a four. Oh my.. Parag just flicked Shami over the deep midwicket boundary for a six! This was just his second ball... Shami finishes the over with two singles.
Shami returns
RR 128/4 in 13 overs: Full toss to begin and Dube smacks him straight behind for a four. WICKET! Cross seam and Dube ends up slicing his big hit to long off where Hooda completes the catch. Parag is the new batsman. He drives between cover and mid off for a boundary to get himself going.
Arshdeep replaces Meredith
RR 117/3 in 12 overs: Dube swings and makes connection. He places the ball past the long on fielder for a four.
RR 109/3 in 11 overs: Short from Meredith and Samson pulls him behind for a six! 100 up for Royals. Short again and Samson ramps it over Rahul's head for a four and that's his fifty! Meredith raps Saomson on the pads and the umpire raises his finger. Samson calls for the review and the ball tracker shows that's missing the stumps.
Meredith continues
RR 93/3 in 10 overs: Good over from Ashwin. No boundaries of it. Samson gives him the charge but is unable to make the connection for the big hit.
Ashwin replaces Richardson
RR 87/3 in 9 overs: Slower ball first up and Samson smacks it over long off for a huge six! DROPPED! Samson miscues a lofted effort and Mayank drops it at long off.
Meredith returns
RR 78/3 in 8 overs: WICKET! Slower ball and full from Richardson which deceives Buttler and has him cleaned up. Shivam Dube gets off the mark with a boundary behind square.
Richardson is back for his 2nd.
RR 68/2 in 7 overs: Freehit for Buttler and he smacks Ashwin past him for a four. Loud LBW appeals against Samson but the umpire turns it down.
Spin introduced in the form of M. Ashwin.
TIME OUT TAKEN
RR 59/2 in 6 overs: Samson pulls Arshdeep to deep midwicket for a four. Full and wide and Samson punishes it with a sliced cut for another four.
RR 48/2 in 5 overs: Buttler welcomes him with a push past mid off for a four and follows it up with a sliced drive past point for another four. He walks across and lifts it behind for another four. Buttler is using Meredith's pace to good effect. Four fours in a row. Best of the bunch! Full and he places the ball through covers for a four. 18 from the over.
Riley Meredith comes on for his first
RR 30/2 in 4 overs: WICKET! Stunning caught and bold grab from Arshdeep to remove Vohra. Jos Buttler is the new man in. DROPPED! Samson goes for the expansive drive and gets a thick edge but Rahul puts it down. Samson guides the last ball of the over past the short third man for a four.
Arshdeep replaces Richardson.
RR 25/1 in 3 overs: Mohammed Shami has been on the money so far. He is making a comeback after a lengthy injury layoff. The national selectors will be closely watching. Slight hold-up in play as the physio attends to Samson. The skipper collects two boundaries upon resumption.
RR 17/1 in 2 overs: Vohra flicks him behind square leg for a six to get off the mark. He now tucks it behind for a four. DROPPED! Murugan Ashwin at third man drops Vohra after a juggle.
Jhye Richardson comes on.
RR 4/1 in 1 over: WICKET! Stokes falls for a third-ball duck. He mistimes his pull and top-edges it high into the air and Shami completes the catch but not before getting into a tangle with Rahul. Shami did well to hold on to it. Samson is the new batsman and he gets off the mark with a four.
Stokes and Vohra to open for Royals. Shami to take the new ball.
Rajasthan Royals innings
61 runs for the loss of 4 wickets from the last 5 overs.
PBKS 221/6 in 20 overs: Full and wide allows Rahul to loft it over the covers for a four. He moves into the 90s. WICKET! It needed a stunning effort to bring Rahul's brilliance to an end. Superb catch from Rahul Tewatia at deep mid-wicket, where he had to catch it, throw it it up, step out to the boundary before coming back in to complete the catch. Sakariya finishes with the wicket of Richardson. Just five runs from the over. 4-0-31-3 for Sakriya on his IPL debut.
Sakariya to bowl the final over
PBKS 216/4 in 19 overs: A free hit for Rahul and he helps himself to another boundary to extra cover. Shahrukha Khan finishes the over with a boundary. 15 runs from the over. Rahul is batting on 87 off 48 balls.
Mustafizur comes on. Shahrukh Khan is the new batsman.
PBKS 201/4 in 18 overs: Rahul moves acorss and paddles (!) Morris behind for a six! 100-run partnership behind. WICKET! Royals finally see the back of Hooda. He mistimes one and Parag takes a comfortable catch at long on. 64 from 28 for Hooda. Rahul isn't letting up, however. Short ball and he clubs it for another six! 200 up for Punjab! WICKET! Short and down the leg side and Pooran pulls it to Sakariya at short fine leg, where he takes a flying catch. Long delay by third umpire to check whether it was a clean catch. OUT comes the signal. Morris finishes with 4-0-41-2.
Morris to bowl 18th over.
PBKS 187/2 in 17 overs: The youngster has made a good start to the over. 2 runs from the first over before he bowls a slower, short ball which Hooda pulls behind for a four. Full from Sakariya but Hooda digs it out and gets a good connection straight to get another four. No ball and a free hit. He finishes the over with another four.
Sakariya comes on.
Time out taken
PBKS 172/2 in 16 overs: Oh my... Full delivery and Hooda muscles him over deep midwicket for a huge six! Sixth maximum for Hooda. Fifty off 20 balls for Hooda.
Morris returns
PBKS 161/2 in 15 overs: DROPPED! Hooda goes for another big one but mistimes it; Buttler running behind drops the skier. Stokes was better placed for the catch, however. Short ball and Rahul gets in on the act now; pulls it behind for a six. 11 runs from the over.
Mustafizur comes on
PBKS 150/2 in 14 overs: Wide from Gopal and Hooda smacks it over extra cover for another six. He brings out the sweep next ball and it's the same result. 50-run partnership off 22 balls. Gopals follows Hooda's movement to the offside but the batter has launched him deep into the stands for a third six! Five sixes for Hooda in just 15 balls. His (continuing) cameo has set Punjab up for a huge total.
Gopal continues..
PBKS 130/2 in 13 overs: And Rahul likes it. In the slot and Rahul smacks it dead straight over the boundary for a six. The skipper brings up his fifty off 30 balls. Full toss and Hooda swats it, literally, over deep midwicket for a six! In the slot again and Dube goes down on one knee to loft it over extra cover for a third six of the over.
Some medium/gentle pace in the form of Shivam Dube.
PBKS 110/2 in 12 overs: Good reach from Hooda on the sweep as he places the ball in the gap at deep midwicket for a four.
Gopal is back.
PBKS 102/2 in 11 overs: Tewatia gives it some air and Rahul dances down the track to loft it over his head for a six! 100 up for Punjab.
Tewatia continues. Stokes is off the field having his finger taped up.
PBKS 89/2 in 10 overs: Parag is bowling off-spin today. A loosener to start from Parag and Rahul times it beautifully to the extra cover for a boundary. Interesting from Parag, as he does his own version of Kedhar Jadhav. The umpire has a word with him about how low his side-arm can get. WICKET! And he gets the big man, Gayle! Stokes redeems himself by running upfield to take a superb low catch. Deepak Hooda is promoted to No. 4.
A third leggie introduced. Parag on to bowl.
TIME OUT
PBKS 82/1 in 9 overs: 50-run partnership between the pair. Tewatia drops it a touch short but Gayle rocks back quickly to slice it wide of point for a four. DROPPED! Another short ball and Gayle smashes it straight at Tewatia, who can't hold on to it. He cashes on the extra life by smashing it high into the stands for a six!
IPL 2020's favourite story, Rahul Tewatia, replaces Gopal.
PBKS 70/1 in 8 overs: Rahul welcomes him with a spanking lofted cover drive for a four. Short ball to Gayle and the Universe Boss pulls him deep into the stands for a six! That was his 350th six in the IPL. Stokes finishes the over well; 12 runs from it.
Stokes comes on for a bowl.
PBKS 58/1 in 7 overs: DROPPED! Stokes did well to get on the end of a lofted drive from Rahul but he fumbles the ball on to the boundary ropes. Shreyas drops it short and Gayle creams the ball to the extra cover boundary.
Shreyas Gopal is the first spin option from Royals.
PBKS 46/1 in 6 overs: Morris bowls it full and that allows Gayle to free his arms and loft it over mid-on for a boundary. Nevertheless, a tidy over from the most expensive acquisition in the IPL.
PBKS 39/1 in 5 overs: Here we go! In the slot and Gayle smacks it over the bowler's head for a boundary! Gayle retains strike with a quick single down to mid-on.
Mustafizur replaces Sakariya.
PBKS 31/1 in 4 overs: Rahul gets a thick edge behind the slip and short third man for a boundary. Good comeback by Morris after the first ball boundary to keep a check on the run-rate.
Morris replaces Mustafizur.
PBKS 22/1 in 3 overs: WICKET! Sakariya gets his maiden wicket! Mayank makes room and looks to loft him over the covers but ends up getting a thick edge behind to Samson. Mayank departs for 14. Punjab had gotten off to a good start without having to take much risk before Mayank went searching there. Chris Gayle is in at No. 3..
PBKS 20/0 in 2 overs: The Fiz gets it to drift in and stike the pad of Mayank but the umpire turns down the appeals. Ball tracker shows three reds ... Royals didn't use up their review. Mustafizur, too, drifts onto the pads of the last ball and Mayank times it between mid-on and short midwicket for a boundary.
Mustafizur to share the new ball.
PBKS 10/0 in 1 over: Short and wide first up to Mayank which allows him to free his arms. The opener slices past the point fielder for a boundary. Mayank goes for a single after nudging it to mid-off, and would have been caught short with a direct hit from Morris. Sakariya drifts on to the pads and Rahul clips the ball behind for another boundary.
Chetan Sakariya has the new ball for Royals.
KL Rahul walks out to open the innings alongside Mayank Agarwal. The pair had plenty of success together at the top last season: 671 runs in 11 innings.
TEAM NEWS:
Rajasthan Royals
1) Jos Buttler (wk), 2) Ben Stokes, 3) Sanju Samson (c), 4) Manan Vohra, 5) Riyan Parag, 6) Shivam Dube, 7) Rahul Tewatia, 8) Chris Morris, 9) Mustafizur Rahman, 10) Shreyas Gopal, 11) Chetan Sakariya
Punjab Kings
1) KL Rahul (C/WK), 2) Mayank Agarwal, 3) Chris Gayle, 4) Nicholas Pooran, 5) Shahrukh Khan, 6) Deepak Hooda, 7) Jhye Richardson, 8) Riley Meredith, 9) Murugan Ashwin, 10) Arshdeep Singh, 11) Mohammed Shami
TOSS UPDATE: New skipper Sanju Samson wins the toss and Rajasthan Royals will bowl first.
UPDATE: Jhye Richardson, Riley Meredith and Shahrukh Khan to make debuts for Punjab Kings. Shivam Dube and Mustafizur Rahman to debut for Royals.
Predicted XIs
Rajasthan Royals
1) Jos Buttler (wk), 2) Ben Stokes, 3) Sanju Samson (c), 4) Riyan Parag, 5) Shivam Dube, 6) Rahul Tewatia, 7) Chris Morris, 8) Liam Livingstone, 9) Shreyas Gopal, 10) Jaydev Unadkat, 11) Kartik Tyagi
Punjab Kings
1) KL Rahul (C/WK), 2) Mayank Agarwal, 3) Chris Gayle, 4) Prabhsimran Singh, 5) Nicholas Pooran, 6) Shahrukh Khan, 7) Deepak Hooda, 8) Jhye Richardson, 9) Riley Meredith, 10) Mohammed Shami, 11) Ravi Bishnoi
- Match Preview -
One team finished at the bottom. The other, just two slots above. Both Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings, however, had chances to make it to the playoffs even at the business end of the last IPL. Neither eventually did because too much had been left to be done too late. Read the full preview here - PBKS vs RR
WHERE TO WATCH TODAY'S IPL 2021 MATCH - RR vs PBKS LIVE?
IPL 2021 will be aired live on
Star Sports channels -
Star Sports 1 ,
Star Sports 1 HD ,
Star Sports 3 and
Star Sports 3 HD . It will also be streamed live on
Disney+Hotstar . You can also follow the live commentary and latest updates from IPL 2021 on
Sportstar .p
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