#TATAIPL 2022 : Match 20 : Shimron Hetmyer, Trent Boult Power Rajasthan Royals To A Thrilling 3 Run Win Over Lucknow Super Giants

Picture : Twitter / IPL

The 20th match of the Tata IPL 2022 at Wankhede stadium Mumbai was thrilling contest between the Rajasthan Royals and the Lucknow Super Giants . The match went down to the wire and till the last ball. In the end it was Royals who had the last laugh with a 3 run win .

LSG skipper K L Rahul won the toss fielded first. Royals suffered a blow early with  in- from Jos Buttler out for 13. Devdutt Padikkal scored ( 29). Skipper Sanju Samson out for 13.  Rassie van der Dussen ( 4 ) , The Royals looked shaky at 67/4 in 9.5 overs. But West Indian Shimron Hetmyer came to party and scored an unbeaten 36 ball 59 with 1 four and 6 maximums. Dropped on 14 by Krunal Pandya , Hetmyer made the LSG pay for the drop catch . Ravichandran Ashwin chipped in with a timely 23 ball 28 and became the first player in IPL history to retire out . Ashwin move allowed Riyan Parag to come in and who obliged by hitting a six in his 8 . Trent Boult was not out 2 as Royals finished at 165/ 5 in their 20 overs.

For LSG the bowling figures were :  Dushmantha Chameera (0/ 22 ), Jason Holder 2/ 50 ( 4 overs) , Ravi Bishnoi 0/ 29 ( 4 overs) , Avesh Khan 1/ 31 ( 4 overs) ,  Krishnappa Gowtham 2/ 30 ( 4 overs)

Lucknow Super Giants in the chase needed a good start from openers skipper K L Rahul and Quinton De Kock . But Royals seamer Trent Boult rocked LSG in the very first ball bowling K L Rahul with a  beauty  for ( 0). Then Boult trapped Krishnappa Gowtham ( 0) leg before giving Royals a sensational start. That Boult is is number one left arm bowler in the world was proved yet again. Boult spell rocked LSG . The early jolts demoralised the LSG . And soon it was 14/ 3 with Jason Holder out for 8. Deepak Hooda in fine form fell for 25 going  for an ambitious shot . Talented Ayush Badoni (5) , Krunal Pandya ( 22) . Aussie Marcus Stoinis known for his brute force was there till the end with a unbeaten 17 ball 38 with  two fours and four sixes .

As Kuldeep raced in to bowl the first ball, Avesh Khan swatted the first ball to the covers to hand over the strike to Stoinis to close out the game.

The second ball was a full length delivery in the slot. Stoinis swung and missed out for a crucial dot ball. 14 runs needed off four balls.

The third delivery was yet again in the slot. Stoinis tried an unorthodox scoop towards fine leg which did not materialise and ended up smashing into his pads.

The fourth featured a changed of pace. Yet again Stoinis swung across the line and missed completely.

Those three crucial dot balls in a row turned the tie firmly in Rajasthan’s favour. 14 runs needed off 2 balls meaning if Kuldeep stuck to bowling two legal deliveries, he could lead his team to victory.

Stoinis responded with a four and a six off the next two balls, but it was all too little too late as LSG fell three runs short at 162/ 8 in their 20 overs .

Royals bowlers were on target : Trent Boult  with a sensational start with two wickets in his first over finished with 2/ 30 ( 4 overs) , Prasidh Krishna 1/ 35 ( 4 overs) , Ravichandran Ashwin 0/20 ( 4 overs) kept runs under check, youngster Kuldeep Sen who bowled the final over showed character that too against a hard- hitter Marcus Stoinis  finished with 1/ 35 ( 4 overs) , Yuzvendra Chahal was brilliant again with figures of 4/ 41 (  40vers)