Jos Buttler's heroic 89 awards Rajasthan season's second win
Rajasthan Royals opener Jos Buttler played a fine role as they outsmarted Mumbai Indians by four wickets in match 27 of IPL 2019 in Mumbai on Saturday. Winning the toss, Rajasthan decided to bowl as they moved in with a balanced side. While Mumbai put up a challenging total of 187 runs, Rajasthan chased it down, courtesy their top order.
Mumbai put up fighting total, but succumb to Rajasthan's ruthlessness
Batting first, Mumbai were off to a flier, scoring 57 runs in the power-play, as they scored a total of 187/5. In reply, Rajasthan too enjoyed a great start, scoring 59 runs in the opening six without losing a wicket. Even though, Rajasthan fumbled at the death but the platform set by top order batsmen helped them to chase with 3 balls to spare.
Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer steal the show for Rajasthan
Talking about the top performers, MI's wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock was their star batsman, scoring a 52-ball 81. On the other hand, Rajasthan's Jofra Archer shone with the ball, claiming 3/39. In reply, it was Buttler who stole the show with a fighting innings of a 43-ball 89, while Krunal Pandya's spell of 3/34 was not enough to steer his side home.
Buttler-Samson's partnership ensures Rajasthan reign supreme
Speaking about the partnerships, it all started during the first innings when skipper Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock put up a stand of 96 runs for the opening wicket. Rajasthan replied with a fine 60-run stand between Rahane and Buttler for the first wicket. However, the 87-run partnership between Buttler and Sanju Samson was the turning point of the match.
Mumbai eye Bangalore rout, Rajasthan take on Punjab
Notably, Mumbai will next be seen in action against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on April 15, whereas, Rajasthan will lock horns with Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) on April 16. The win does not help Rajasthan by much as they still stay on the seventh spot with four points, while Mumbai are third on the table with eight points for now.
