After a string of low scoring affairs, the ultimate game of Super Sunday treated spectators with a barrage of boundaries as Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Mumbai Indians (MI) clashed against each other at Abu Dhabi.
It was ‘the Ben Stokes show’ for RR which helped them clinch a crucial 8-wicket over MI in a must-win game.
With his backs to the wall, an off-colour Stokes answered his critics in style by registering his second IPL century.
‘Man of the Match’ Stokes bedazzled viewers during his prolific knock of 107* which came off just 60 deliveries. The best all-rounder in the world struck 14 boundaries and three sixes during his outing.
Opening the batting, the Englishman shepherded the run-chase, with his side reduced to 44-2 in the fifth over, and a possible exit from the tournament on the cards.
Sanju Samson provided ample support to Stokes at the other end with his effervescent strokeplay. The wicketkeeper-batsman slammed 54 off just 31 deliveries, which comprised of four boundaries and three sixes.
In the end, Stokes and Samson, who put on 152 runs for the third-wicket, completed the run chase with ease, with 10 deliveries to spare.
Earlier, stand-in skipper Kieron Pollard won the toss and asked Steve Smith and co. to field first. MI posted a daunting total of 195-5 by the end of the 20 overs. Thanks to pyrotechnics from Hardik Pandya.
‘Kung Fu’ Pandya, as they call him, smashed an unbeaten 60, which came off just 21 deliveries. He smashed 52 runs in the last 11 deliveries he faced.
The Baroda all-rounder went on hit 2 boundaries and seven sixes, four of them hit off a single over from Ankit Rajpoot at the death.
Vital knocks from Ishan Kishan (37 off 36), Saurabh Tiwary (34 iff 15) and Suryakumar Yadav (40 off 26) helped lay a solid platform for Pandya for his onslaught.
For RR, Jofra Archer (2/31) and Shreyas Gopal (2/30) were the pick of the bowlers as they picked a couple of wickets each and hardly conceded any in their spell.
Brief Scores
RR – 196/2 (Stokes 107*, Samson 54*) beat MI – 195/5 (Pandya 60*, Gopal 2/30) by 8 wickets.
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