PBKS vs RR Hetmyer cameo powers Royals past Punjab Kings

After Yashasvi Jaiswal top-scored with 39 (28b, 4x4), Shimron Hetmyer (27 n.o., 10b, 1x4, 3x6) held his nerve to help Rajasthan Royals (RR) beat Punjab Kings (PBKS) by three wickets in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh international cricket stadium here on Saturday.

With 10 needed off the last over, Arshdeep Singh nailed a couple of wide yorkers for dot balls. Hetmyer then hit a straight six, picked up a double, and hit a six again over the fine-leg boundary.

The match surprised even before it began.

Sam Curran, not Shikhar Dhawan, walked out for the toss for Kings. Dhawan, out with a niggle, had been replaced by Atharva Taide, informed Curran.

It was then Royals captain Sanju Samson’s turn to surprise. He revealed that Jos Buttler and R. Ashwin, both out with their own niggles, had been replaced by Rovman Powell and — Samson found it hard to remember the name — Tanush Kotian. All-rounder Kotian was the Player-of-the-Tournament in Mumbai’s recent title-winning Ranji Trophy campaign.

Then, it was a bore snore of an overall batting display by Kings to get to 147 for eight.

Only 38 runs were scored in the PowerPlay with 14 dot balls. As laboriously as someone tethered to a rock would, Kings panted and heaved their way to 53 for four in 10 overs.

In the next 10 overs, Jitesh Sharma (29, 24b, 1x4, 2x6), Liam Livingstone (21, 14b, 2x4, 1x6), and Ashutosh Sharma (31, 16b, 1x4, 3x6) dazzled like Ninja Turtles in a combat, only in parts.

And there was surprise again when Royals began their chase. Kotian, who often bats at Nos. 8, 9, and 10 for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, opened the batting with Jaiswal.

The openers, though not at their dashing best, managed to get their team to 50 in 7.1 overs. Even after Kotian fell, Jaiswal and Samson seemed to be in control of the chase. But Kagiso Rabada had them both dismissed in consecutive overs. And Royals, kudos to Kings for the way they bowled and fielded, briefly struggled to be assertive.

With 20 runs needed off 12 balls, Rovman Powell hit back-to-back fours to bring the equation down to 12 off 10 balls. But the final surprise of the match unfolded then. Curran had Powell caught behind off a short ball and Maharaj holed out to long on in the last ball of that over.