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Calm and composed Tyagi helps RR snatch two-run win against Punjab

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Last updated on 21 Sep 2021 | 06:51 PM
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Calm and composed Tyagi helps RR snatch two-run win against Punjab

When a win was certain for Punjab Kings, Kartik Tyagi defended four runs in the last over to seal the match for Rajasthan Royals

Needing just four runs off the last over, with eight wickets remaining, the tie was stacked against Rajasthan Royals. But  20-year-old pacer Kartik Tyagi kept his composure, bowling an inch-perfect over to hand Rajasthan an incredible two-run win to kick-start their second half of IPL 2021. 

Until that point in the fixture, Punjab Kings were in first gear control over the proceedings, thanks to the head start from their opening pair of Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul. The duo combined for yet another century-run partnership, their fourth overall, to get the Kings off to a stunning start. 

While the Royals certainly had plenty of opportunities to send back the Punjab skipper, Rahul time and again stood his crease on the back of missed opportunities. He also reached the milestone of 3000 IPL runs, becoming the second-fastest player to do so after Chris Gayle. Chasing 186, the franchise raced to 49 runs in the Powerplay, on the back of Rahul’s 32 and Mayank’s 15. Mayank then took on the attack and ensured that the pair kept the run-rate ticking. 

However, one brought two for the Royals, with Chetan Sakariya first accounting for Rahul (49 runs off 33 balls) before Rahul Tewatia sent back the in-form opener Mayank (67 off 43), as Punjab still needed 60 runs off the last seven overs. While Nicholas Pooran (32 off 22) and Aiden Markram (26 off 20) ensured that the visitors were on the verge of win, they still needed to complete the run chase, with 8 off 12 balls. 

For the Royals to pull off the impossible, it required the efforts of the two pacers – Mustafizur Rahman and Tyagi – who executed their plans to perfection, snatching the franchise a crucial two points in their chase of a playoff-spot, as they edge closer to Mumbai Indians, who stand fourth. 

"It's funny that we kept believing that we could win. I kept the overs of Mustafizur and Tyagi for the end. Cricket is a funny game right. We just kept fighting and believing. I always believe in my bowlers, want to keep fighting and that's why I kept those two overs till the end,” admitted RR skipper Samson in the post-match presentation. 

The Royal start

In the absence of Jos Buttler, the franchise decided to hand Evin Lewis (36 off 21) a debut this season, a move that paid off immediately for the Royals. The opening partnership between Lewis and Yashasvi Jaiswal, 57 runs off the first 6 overs put them on the front foot. While they lost skipper Sanju Samson early (4) in his innings, the faith in the middle-order propelled the scoring rate for the Royals. 

The duo of Jaiswal and Liam Livingstone took the Royals to 100 runs in 11 overs. While Livingstone was dismissed soon after, the inclusion of Mahipal Lomror kept the heart beat of the franchise going. Lomror crunched the ball and the numbers for the Royals in the middle-overs, as they scored 83 runs at a strike-rate of 153.7 at 9.2 RPO. 

At the other end, Jaiswal missed out on an impressive half-century, with a 33-ball 49 where he showed composure and grit. 

Lomror, in particular, showed his range of shots against Adil Rashid before dispatching Deepak Hooda for 24 runs, throwing the game open in Royals’ favour as his score read 42 off 15. For the Kings, it was the left-arm pace of Arshdeep Singh, who picked up his maiden five-wicket haul in the tournament that helped them crawl the proceedings back in Punjab’s favour, reducing Rajasthan from 166/5 to 185 all out. 

Brief Scores:

Rajasthan Royals: 185 all out in 20 overs. (Y Jaiswal 49, Mahipal Lomror 43; Arshdeep Singh 5/32, M Shami 3/21)

Punjab Kings: 183 for 4 in 20 overs. (M Agarwal 67, KL Rahul 49; Kartik Tyagi 2/29)

Player of the Match: Kartik Tyagi (2/29)

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