CLT20: Rajasthan Royals start off with a win

Sanju Samson scored a 47-ball 54

Making complete use of the home conditions, Rajasthan Royals, chasing 143 to win, kick-started their campaign with an easy seven-wicket victory against Mumbai Indians at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur.

Royals captain Rahul Dravid won the toss and opted to bowl on a track that was expected to assist the pacers early into the game.

Vikramjeet Malik, who happened to be in the team as a result of the ban dished out to Siddharth Trivedi, made complete use of his chance by picking up two quick wickets to put Mumbai on the back foot.

Dwayne Smith, who started off with a couple of good looking shots, was trapped in front by a delivery that darted back in while Dinesh Karthik, finding life extremely difficult against the swing on offer, was put off his misery after he inside edged one onto the stumps.

As Sachin Tendulkar, caught behind of Stuart Binny’s bowling, and Ambati Rayudu, run out in a mix up with Rohit Sharma, followed suit to leave Mumbai at 43/4 in 8.1 overs, they were forced to play catch up. Something that they did admirably well, courtesy of Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard.

The fifth-wicket pair put together a 52-run partnership in the next 7.3 overs to take their team to 95/5 before Rohit fell for a 37-ball 44. In an attempt to run down Shane Watson’s delivery to third man, the Mumbai Indians captain only managed to find the wicketkeeper.

Pollard who was at 14 off 18 balls by then, sensed the urgency and shifted gears to end up with a 36-ball 42. Nathan Coulter-Nile hit a couple of maximums in the last over of Malik to help Mumbai set a target of 143 for Rajasthan Royals. Both Rohit and Pollard took special liking for Kevon Cooper, who conceded 31 runs off his 3 overs.

In reply, RR lost Dravid early as he connected his cut shot of Coulter-Nile’s bowling straight to Pollard at point. However, Sanju Samson and Ajinkya Rahane saw off a good spell from the fast bowlers Mitchell Johnson and Coulter-Nile to put together a 74-run partnership in 59 balls.

Rahane, looking good till then, threw away his wicket attempting a wild slog towards the leg side after having scored 33 off 31 deliveries. Rohit’s job was made difficult as the spinners Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha did not have any effect.

Samson, despite struggling a bit against Johnson, continued to show why he is the one to watch out for before getting dismissed for a 47-ball 54, pulling Pollard straight to Smith at mid-wicket.

But by then, RR had already done enough to secure a win. Watson and Binny remaining unbeaten on 27 off 22 and 27 off 14 deliveries respectively chased down the target with ease in 19.4 overs. Binny sealed the match with a six of Coulter-Nile, who had very impressive game, both with the bat and the ball.