IPL 2018, RR vs KXIP: 4 unnoticed things from the game

It was a crucial game as both Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab went head-to-head at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. Rahane won the toss and decided to bat first on a dry surface. Rajasthan got off to a flying start courtesy one man - Jos Buttler. Rahane's poor form continued as the Royals’ skipper was dismissed in the fourth over by Tye.

Despite losing Rahane, Rajasthan still managed to score at a good rate as they reached 63 for 1 in the powerplay overs. Buttler continued to play his shots even though he kept losing partners. Once the Punjab spinners came on, it became harder to score.

The pressure got to Buttler and the Lancashire lad was undone by Mujeeb once again, but not before scoring a fine 82. Rajasthan could not apply the finishing touches as regular strikes towards the end reduced them to 158 for 8 in 20 overs. Tye was the pick of the Punjab bowlers as he finished with impressive figures of 4 for 34 off 4 overs.

Chasing 159, Punjab got off to a horrendous start as they lost Gayle, Ashwin and Nair in quick succession as they reached 33 for 3 at the end of 6 overs. Wickets continued to tumble but KL Rahul stood firm as he scored a gritty half-century to keep Punjab in the game.

The run rate kept creeping up as the wicket became tougher to bat. KL Rahul continued to stay strong and finished with a fantastic unbeaten 95 but it was not enough as Rajasthan held their nerve to pull off a 15-run win.

Let's take a look at some of the unnoticed things from the game.

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#1 Buttler records his highest ever IPL and T20 score

Ever since being promoted to the top of the order, Buttler has been scoring the bulk of the runs for Rajasthan. In a do-or-die clash, where the Royals needed to win, Buttler came up with the goods once again.

On a slightly slower surface, Buttler started off in fine fashion and raced to 43 off just 20 balls. He finished off with a fantastic 82 off 58 balls which were studded with nine glorious fours and one six. Buttler’s fine knock helped Rajasthan post a competitive 158 on a slow surface.

His 82 not only happened to be his highest ever score in the IPL but also his highest score in all T20 cricket. In the end, his knock was crucial as Rajasthan won the game by 15 runs.

#2 Mujeeb gets Buttler twice in three days

It was the quickest reverse fixture of this season, where both Rajasthan and Punjab faced off each other twice in three days. Buttler scored a fine 51 in the previous encounter and once again the Englishman proved his worth as he scored a wonderful 82 which helped the Royals post a competitive total.

Buttler did manage to score two 50+ scores against the same opponent but in both the games Mujeeb Zadran got the better of him. In both the games, Buttler's wicket was crucial as it helped Punjab claw back into the contest.

#3 Sodhi's economical spell

On a slow wicket, Rajasthan managed 158 thanks to a stellar batting display by Jos Buttler who top scored with 82. They needed to bowl well and the Royals bowlers came out all guns blazing as they reduced a batting heavy Punjab unit to 19 for 3.

All the bowlers bowled really well but it was Ish Sodhi's impressive spell which piled the pressure on the Punjab batsmen. He managed to pick up only one wicket but stemmed the flow of runs. Sodhi's sensational spell read 1 for 14 off 4 overs which were pivotal in Rajasthan winning the game.

#4 Jofra Archer's exhibition of death bowling

Jofra Archer came into limelight after a brilliant Big Bash League season in Australia and was picked by Rajasthan because of his death bowling. He once again showcased his death bowling skills when his team needed him.

Two great hitters were at the crease, one in fine form and one with the reputation of finishing games. The run rate crept up and Punjab was banking on KL Rahul and Stoinis but a fantastic 17th over by Jofra Archer pushed the rate even higher and that proved crucial in the end as the Royals overcame the Kings in their own backyard to keep themselves afloat in the tournament.

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