Rajasthan Royals claim top spot after win vs Lucknow Super Giants

MUMBAI: Rajasthan Royals registered their third win from four matches in IPL 2022 on Sunday as they beat Lucknow Super Giants by 3 runs at the Wankhede Stadium. With this win the former champion reach the top spot in points table with batter net runrate.

Needing 166 runs to win, Lucknow Super Giants could manage 162 in allotted overs losing 8 wickets. Left-arm pace Trent Boult claimed two wickets in the first over of the innings as he grabbed captain KL Rahul and Krishnappa Gowtham. Jason Holder (8) also went back in the fourth over. Quinton de Kock (39), Deepak Hooda (25) and Krunal Pandya (22) kept hopes for the debutant, but leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal broke the middle order by claiming 4 wickets for 41 runs. They needed 15 runs from the final over. But Marcus Stoinis (38no off 17 balls) scored only 11 runs from debutant pacer Kuldeep Sen's over.

Earlier, a brilliant late onslaught by Shimron Hetmyer (59 not out off 36 balls) and a tactical switch by R Ashwin, who became the first player in IPL history to get retired out, helped Rajasthan Royals reach a modest 165/6 in 20 overs.

Hetmyer and Ashwin were going strong having rescued Rajasthan Royals from 4-67 to 135 in the 19th over when Ashwin, after taking a single off Avesh Khan, sprinted to the dugout and Riyan Parag, considered a better finisher, stepped into the field.

But it was Heymyer who capitalised on the situation, swatted Khan over deep point and midwicket off successive balls as Rajasthan Royals made a late charge towards a respectable total. Hetmyer and Ashwin added 68 runs for the fifth wicket of 51 balls as they revived the Royals innings.

Brief scores: Rajasthan Royals 165/6 in 20 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 29, Shimron Hetmyer 59 not out, R Ashwin 28; K Gowtham 2/30, Jason Holder 2/48) beat Lucknow Super Giants 162/8 in 20 overs (Marcus Stoinis 38no, Quinton de Kock 39, Deepak Hooda 25,Yuzvendra Chahal 4/41, Trent Boult 2/30).

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