The Rajasthan Royals keep the visitors to a par score, but under the pressure of the LSG pacers, they bungle the chase.
Sometimes, games like this one, which goes against the grain of the IPL and keeps batters in check because of the conditions, the quality of the bowling, or the situations, occur.
Jaipur has a background marked by being challenging to visiting groups. Yet, Lucknow Super Monsters made it harder for themselves by cooperating with expected lines that relied on a top-request anchor against a quality bowling assault.
That never happened, but they still supported it with a stellar bowling performance in which Avesh Khan took two wickets in the final over to secure a 10-run victory.
Naveen-ul-Haq only scored 19 runs. Since this has been a season of successful chases, Rajasthan Royals were justified in choosing to chase.
Despite the fact that the average first-innings total in Jaipur is 158. RR deserves credit for their extremely clean bowling performance on a pitch that wasn’t made for making runs.
Similarly disturbing was LSG’s absence of plan all along. Neglecting to break free till the 10th over when Yuzvendra Chahal was hurled for two sixes and one four through the leg side.
In fact, Chahal was the most expensive bowler, almost as expected, with a 10.25 economy, but on a day when Trent Boult and R Ashwin only gave up 39 runs between them, the Royals would have taken that.
During the innings break, Ashwin stated to the broadcaster. “We could have kept them down by 10 more runs if we were a little smarter.”
“Unlike some other grounds, you can’t get away here. You really want to play great cricketing shots here and you get an incentive for that. This is not one of those pitches where you can tee off.
In this period of data, information, and a few scoring models were set up. LSG most likely was too shackled by biases about the pitch. Kyle Mayers, who is one of the fastest batters in this IPL, was also scratchy.
Failing to score a boundary for 12 balls. KL Rahul can be a creature of habit when it comes to painfully slow starts in T20 matches.
LSG’s powerplay included Boult seaming the ball on stifling lines. They reached 37 in six innings with just four fours and one six.
Royals’ handling was below average, however, dropping Rahul two times, yet they weren’t passed on to lament those.
Royals regained control after a brief acceleration when Jason Holder foxed Rahul with a slower delivery that Rahul was unable to hit past the boundary.
After being elevated to No. 3, Ayush Badoni was under pressure to accelerate and ramped the ball onto his stumps.
Deepak Hooda excessively neglected to clear the limit and by the fifteenth over LSG were 109/4 after Mayers was bowled through the entryway by an Ashwin slider.
Nicholas Pooran and Marcus Stoinis still had time to score big runs. But the Royals kept up the pressure with Holder, Sandeep Sharma, and Ashwin, who gave up 20 runs in the next three overs.
Royals justifiably didn’t have any desire to face any challenge. Particularly Jos Buttler who worked to five off 14 balls prior to opening his front leg and muscling Yudhvir Singh for a six over profound midwicket.
Three fours off Khan in the following over and Royals thought in the groove again, finishing the powerplay on 47/0.
However, once Ravi Bishnoi and Amit Mishra were used, only singles and the occasional boundary were scored.
Buttler released a Converse range off Mishra for a four. Trailed by a switch hit in his next over that impeccably took apart the hole for another limit.
Anxious to participate, Yashasvi Jaiswal trucked Stoinis for a six preceding directing him to Khan at diminutive third man.
As a result, the Royals suffered a minor collapse when they lost Buttler. Sanju Samson, and Shimron Hetmyer in just 16 balls.
Devdutt Padikkal, however, hit Stoinis for three fours in the 18th over. They were allowing the Royals to mount another comeback thanks to their depth of batting and clear target.
The Royals needed 29 from 12 points, but Naveen was composed. Giving up a six but finishing with a dot to make it 19 from six.
Riyan Parag got off to a good start with a four. But Khan got Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel out of the park in quick succession to topple the table-toppers at their home.