IPL 2024: Rajasthan Royals' 1st Innings Highlights against PBKS in Match 65

Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) clash in the 65th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati. One team has already secured a playoff berth while the other has booked a return ticket. However, the game is crucial for RR to secure a top-two spot in the league stage points table and for Punjab to end their campaign on a high.

Sanju Samson won the toss and invited PBKS to field first. In the absence of Jos Buttler, his compatriot Tom Kohler-Cadmore opened the innings alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. Punjab have given Nathan Ellis a game and they also brought back Harpreet Brar into the fold.

Also Read: Why are Jos Buttler and Kagiso Rabada not playing IPL 2024 Match 65 between RR vs PBKS?

RR vs PBKS 1st innings highlight, Match 65

1st Wicket: Sam Curran gets Yashasvi Jaiswal in first over

PBKS skipper Sam Curran opened the attack and conceded a boundary on the first ball of the innings. The next two were dot balls and he got the big wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal on the fourth ball. The RR opener tried to drive away a length ball that swung back late but got an inside edge and hit the stumps. Jaiswal b Sam Curran 4 (4).

Powerplay 1: Overs 0.1 to 6.0 (Mandatory – 38 runs, 1 wicket)

Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who replaced Jos Buttler in the XI, opened his account with a boundary but conceded too many dot balls later on. RR skipper Sanju Samson was looking good but still, they managed to get only a paltry score of 38 in the powerplay. Notably, Kohler-Cadmore played five consecutive dot balls in the sixth over bowled by Harshal Patel.

Strategic Timeout 1: Rajasthan Royals - 53/3 in 9 overs, Riyan Parag (5* off 4), Ravichandran Ashwin (8* off 8)

After bowling a brilliant fifth over, Nathan Ellis returned right after the powerplay and took the wicket of the in-form Sanju Samson (18 off 15). In the very next over, Rahul Chahar put an end to a struggling knock of Kohler-Cadmore (18 off 23). Surprisingly, Ravichandran Ashwin got a promotion and joined Riyan Parag in an attempt to form a decent partnership. RR got off to a poor start as the PBKS bowlers kept their run rate below 6.

Rajasthan Royals: 100 runs in 13.4 overs

Ashwin and Parag kept the scoreboard ticking and they got a big over in the second half. Rahul Chahar conceded 17 runs in the 12^th over as Ashwin hit a couple of fours and a maximum. However, Arshdeep Singh sent the spin all-rounder packing in the next over.

RR lost another wicket as Sam Curran dismissed Dhruv Jurel for a golden duck. Rovman Powell hit the first ball he faced for a boundary to help the team cross the 100-run mark. 

Strategic Timeout 2: Rajasthan Royals - 113/6 in 16 overs, Riyan Parag (34* off 23), Donovan Ferreira (5* off 6)

A superb bowling effort from the visitors restricted RR to 113/6 in 16 overs, heading into the second strategic break. Rahul Chahar bagged his second wicket in the form of Rovman Powell and ended his four-over spell impressively. Riyan Parag is the only last hope for Royals to post a decent score on the board.

Innings Break: Rajasthan Royals - 144/9 in 20 overs

The PBKS bowlers have made things easier for their batters by restricting the home team to 144/9. It was local boy Riyan Parag’s 34-ball 48 that helped RR cross the 140-run mark.