Picture Credit : BCCI
Chennai Super Kings powered by Aussie all- rounder Shane Watson who hit a powerful unbeaten 106 off 57 balls , beat Rajasthan Royals by 64 runs in an IPL encounter in Pune. Watson made the Royals pay for dropping him twice during the knock. Rahul Tripathi was the fielder on both occasions. Watson had been a part of the Royals side in the past and even captained them . He was a member of the Rajasthan Royals side that won the first IPL in 2008 under Shane Warne.
Royals skipper Ajinkya Rahane walked up to congratulate Watson after he scored an unbeaten hundred and was returning to the pavilion.
Receving good support from Suresh Raina 46 the men in yellow posted an impressive 200 for 5 in their 20 overs. Rajasthan were let down by their sloppy fielding and that cost them the match.
While chasing the massive total, Rajasthan Royals could only muster 140 in 18.3 overs.
Early wickets pegged Royals back. Their chase was in tatters when they lost three key batsmen inside the Powerplay overs. Sanju Samson (2), captain Ajinkya Rahane (16) and debutant Heinrich Klaasen (7) fell and the match was well and truly over.
Ben Stokes (45) and Jos Buttler (22) added 45 runs for the fourth wicket but the partnership ended when the latter was dismissed by Dwayne Bravo.
Ben Stokes had been signed for whopping Rs 12. 5 cr by the Royals but the English star has looked ordinary in the matches played so far. The same goes to Royals bowling choice Jaidev Unadkat. Being paid Rs 11. 5 cr he has managed just two wickets in gamers played so far.
The problems for the Royals is skipper Ajinkya Rahne is lonely at the top and only Sanju Samson in the middle in some sort of form . Unless the likes of Ben Stokes, Joss Buttler come to the party the Royals will find the going extremely tough ahead and their play-offs chance disappearing .
