IPL24: Jaiswal , Sandeep dazzles as Rajasthan thrashes Mumbai Indians one sided by 9 wkts

 

Hardik Pandya's 100th IPL match for Mumbai Indians was not a happy one.  His team lost to Rajasthan Royals by 9 wickets in a rain interrupted match.  To everyone's surprise, Hardik won the toss and  batted first.  Mumbai scored 179 runs for 9 wickets.  In reply, Rajasthan scored 183 runs for 1 wicket in 18.4 overs.  Yashaswi Jaiswal and Sandeep Sharma were the two heroes of Sanju Samson's team's victory.  The first-time champions of the competition took another step towards the IPL playoffs after winning the match by 9 wickets in a ruthlessly onesided contest.

 Yashaswi and Jos Buttler started batting with a target of 180 runs.  However, as the innings progressed, the Rajasthan batsmen increased their pace of scoring runs.  Rain came after 6 overs of RR innings.  The game was stopped for 40 minutes.  Even so, there was no disruption in Rajasthan's innings.  Buttler scored a sparkling 35 runs off 25 balls when Piyush Chawla bowled him. However Yashaswi was steadfast at the other end of 22 yards.  He led his and his team's innings smoothly.  The young opener did not spare Bumrah either.  He was not getting many runs in the IPL this time.  There were questions about his form.  His innings of impeccable century answered the critics on Monday. 

Jaiswal stuck to normal cricketing shots on this day and relied on his timing . He avoided reverse laps and scoops and also controlled on his pull shot after Coetzee nearly had him in trouble with one rapidly fast ball which Jaiswal miscued for a 4 behind the keeper . Else he was unruffled 

 Yashaswi completed his dazzling  century off 59 balls.  In the end he remained unbeaten on 104 off 60 balls and hit 9 fours and 7 sixes.  He took shots from all sides of the field.

 Rajasthan captain Sanju gave a worthy escort to Yashaswi.  He also batted fluently.  The Mumbai bowlers could not trouble the Rajasthan batsmen in the entire innings.  Sanju's fluent innings of 38 runs off 28 balls consisted of 2 fours and a six.  Among the Mumbai bowlers, Piyush took 1 wicket for 33 runs.  Jaipur's 22 yards looked normal to Bumrah, Hardik as they failed to create any impact . 

Earlier , Mumbai's top batsmen could not take advantage of Jaipur's 22 yards.  Mumbai lost 3 wickets for 20 runs in front of Sandeep and Trent Boult.  After that two youngsters Tilak Verma and Nehal Wadhera took Mumbai to a position where they could fight.  Rohit Sharma (6), Ishan Kishan (nil) and Suryakumar Yadav (10) got out in quick succession. Boult against got Rohit cheaply while Sandeep Sharma scalped Ishan.  Mohammad Nabi, who came down at number five, did not get big runs.  The Afghanistan all-rounder scored 23 runs off 17 balls and hit 2 fours and 1 six while looking good for a while .  After 4 wickets fell for 52 runs, Tilak and Nehal took charge of Mumbai's innings.  Nehal, who came down to bat at number six, plundered 49 runs off 24 balls and hit 3 fours and 4 sixes in his impressive knock .  He missed out on his half-century by just 1 run but put on an important partnership of 99 runs with Tilak before being dismissed by Boult.

 Tilak basically gave confidence to Mumbai's innings against Rajasthan.  Down at number four, he held the innings together and made 65 runs off 45 balls.  His innings has 5 fours and 3 sixes.  Skipper Hardik (10) also failed again .  Mumbai's late batsmen too could not do anything of note.

 Yuzvendra Chahal became the first cricketer in the world to take 200 wickets in IPL by dismissing Nabi in this match.  The leg spinner got only one wicket after spending 48 runs.  The most successful Sandeep Sharma took 5 wickets for 18 runs in an excellent and skilful bowling display .  Among the other Rajasthan bowlers, Boult took 2 wickets for 32 runs, Avesh Khan took 1 wicket with 46 runs.  Ravichandran Ashwin did not get a wicket that day either.  Boult completed 250 wickets in T20 cricket on this day