IPL 2021, 4th Match: Punjab Kings VS Rajasthan Royals 
Played At Wankhede Stadium < Mumbai on 12 April2021 

Punjab Kings 221/6 (KL Rahul 91, Deepok Hoda 64, CH Gayle 40, Chetan Sakaria 3/31, Chris Morris 2/41)
Rajasthan Royals 217/7 (Sanju Samson 117, Jos Buttler 25, Ryan Parag 25, Shibam Dube 23, Arshdeep Singh 3/35, Mohammad Sami 2/33)

Punjab Kings won By 4 Runs 
Player Of The Match: Sanju Samson

Despite A great sparkling innings played by brave captain Sanju Samson (117) Rajasthan Royals lost by 4 Runs in a photo finish by Punjab Kings yesterday at Wankhede Stadium Mumbai.  Sanju got out on the last ball of the match when his team was just one stroke away from getting across the finishing tape. Batting first Pujab Kings scored 221/6. Rajastahan Royals finished at 217/7. Two evenly matched teams entertained the cricket admirers across the world playing a match of nail-biting excitement. For his extraordinary innings Sanju Samson was adjudged player of the match. It is not often that a player from the losing side is given that award. But his innings was so imposing that he won it. 

Royals winning the toss let Kings bat first. The opening partnership of Rahul and Agarwall did not last long. Chetan Sakaria a relatively unknown left arm medium pacer from Saurastra pitching a ball in the corridor moved it away. Maynak Agarwall trying to manufacture a stroke moving to the leg nicked behind. In came CH Gayle, the universe boss. Rahul and Gayle adding 67 runs for the 2nd wicket partnership set a solid foundation for the middle and the late order. Gayles 40 in 28 deliveries were a mere warm up innings by his high standard of explosive batting.  The real explosion followed as Rahul and Hodda in the 3rd wicket partnership displayed wonderful brand of aggressive cricket. 105 runs that they scored in 8 overs let the team post a challenging score of 221/ 6. Chris Morris got Hooda out for 64 scored off only 28 deliveries striking 4 fours and 6 sixes. The momentum was gone after the loss of Hodda’s wicket. Rahul stayed a bit longer. But he too also got out after scoring 91 in 50 deliveries. Kings innings of 221/6 could grow higher if Pooran and Richardson did not score duck. Royal bowlers kept it tight in the death overs. Bangladesh recruit Mustafiz failed to impress going wicket less and conceding 45 runs in his 4 overs. Sakaria was the peak of Royals attack taking 3/ 31. The big catch of Royals Chris Morris took 2/ 41.

Chasing such a huge score required Royals getting a solid opening partnership. But their mission got early blow as Sami removed flamboyant Ben Stoke in the very first over having  him caught and bowled for naught. A hard length delivery angling away from Stokes cramped him for space. Stokes skied it in attempt to pull. At least three fielders started moving towards the ball. However, the bowler himself finally managed clinging on to the ball. Royal’s innings got body blow. The other opener Manan Vohra also did not last long, failing in the same fashion. He went caught and bowled by Arshdeep Sing scoring 12. Chasing a huge score RR was 2/25 by the 4th over when captain Sanju Samson was joined by Jos Buttler. Samson played an innings of his life. Buttler( 25) ,Shibam Dube ( 23 ) and Ryan Parag (25) set up small partnerships with him. But his superbly paced innings of 119 in 63 deliveries almost won the match single-handed. When he ultimately got out on the last ball of the very exciting match his team was one stroke away from the win. Scoring 217/7 Royals lost by only 4 runs. Arshdeep Singh taking 3/35 could have been player of the match had not Sanju Samson played such an wonderful innings.  It will definitely go down as one of the finest innings of IPL 2021. 

BDST: 1504 HRS, APR 13, 2021
SMS