Jaiswal and Sharma star with bat and ball on a winning cause

Left handed batter Yashasvi Jaiswal regained his silken touch with a sensational unbeaten century as Rajasthan Royals defeated Mumbai Indians by nine wickets in their latest IPL 2024 match that was played at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur on Monday night. The seventh win in eight outings for Sanju Samon’s led RR side, their fourth in five in familiar conditions at home further cemented their place at the top of the points table. For Hardik Pandya led MI side, his landmark 100th IPL match for the five times former champions turned out to be a nightmare as it ended in his team’s fifth loss in eight outings.

Chasing 180 for a win RR never looked in trouble except when Jaiswal found the going tough against a fiery Gerald Coetzee earlier on in a rain interrupted match There after Jaiswal flourished in the company of Jos Buttler and skipper Sanju Samson before reaching the coveted three figure mark in 59 balls in the penultimate over, bowled by part timer off spinner Tilak Varma. Incidentally Jaiswal (104 n.o.) who scored his second IPL century of his career against MI also scored the winning runs with his ninth boundary of his innings of the same bowler three balls later which also included seven massive sixes off 60 balls. Veteran leg spinner Piyush Chawla was the only successful bowler for MI after he dismissed Buttler (35) soon after the powerplay to end the flourishing 74 partnership for the first wicket.

 Earlier MI were off to a worst start after winning the toss. The visitors lost their top three batters with 20 runs on the board inside four overs, with pacer Sandeep Sharma bagging two of those including the dangerous looking Suryakumar Yadav (10).  South paw Nehal Wadhera (49) playing his first IPL game this season in the company of Tilak Varma (65) did provide some glimmer of hope, before the former was dismissed by Trent Boult in the 16th over. The visitors lost the momentum there after and lost four wickets in the fag end of their innings. Sandeep Sharma (5/18) in the process registered his first five-wicket haul in the IPL which included three in the final over of the innings while conceding mere three runs to restrict MI to 179 for 9 in 20 overs.

Player of the Match, Sandeep Sharma, who overcame injury to register his maiden five wicket haul in IPL, against a strong batting line up of Mumbai Indians which included key wickets of Ishan Kishen and Suryakumar Yadav post the match said “The pitch was on the slower and lower side, so my plan was to keep bowling those variations, including cutters. It worked out really nicely tonight. If you're bowling in the end, you have to have a big heart. As we've seen in this IPL, bowlers are under pressure and batsmen are going big. So it's important to keep believing in yourself, and execute your variations and plans. That's what I'm trying to do, and I'm enjoying myself. As you know, two years ago, I went unsold and came in as a replacement (for injured Prasidh Krishna). So, any game I get to play, I consider it a bonus and just enjoy myself."

A dejected Hardik Pandya, Mumbai Indians Skipper, playing his 100th IPL match for Mumbai Indians, who too himself had an mediocre outing (10 runs and 0/21) said,  "I think we put ourselves in trouble early on. But the way N. Wadhera and T. Varma batted was fantastic (with a counter-attacking 99-run stand off 52 balls). We didn't finish well (lost four wickets for 28 runs in the final four overs), and that's why we were 15 runs short. We gave a lot of width in the powerplay (RR made 61 for no loss). We had to keep it within the stumps. It was not our best day on the field (dropped catches of Jaiswal and Samson in the mid way stage). Everyone's professional. They know their roles. Progression is important. We need to work on our flaws. I don't believe much in chopping and changing. The focus is on playing good cricket and sticking to our plans."

A satisfied Sanju Samson  Rajasthan Royals Captain who himself scored an unbeaten 38 while adding 109 runs off 65 balls with Yashasvi Jaiswal in addition to his two catches behind the wicket early on credited his team for the victory. “We started off really well with the ball in the powerplay. In the end, both the left-handers played unbelievably well. Some quality spin from Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal (who became the first player to take 200 IPL wicket when he dismissed Mohammed Nabi).  Pacers Sandeep Sharma and Avesh Khan came back well in the death overs to restrict mighty MI to less than 200, setting up the game for us. The way Jose Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal batted for a couple of overs after rain, we knew that we had to just reset and go back to our momentum. People are professional enough to understand what they need to do when they get a break, so I am really happy with the approach of Jaiswal who exudes confidence once he sets in. We knew it's just a matter of one game. We knew in the dugout that he is playing some cricketing shots and he will be fine today. I am really happy for him” said Sanju Samson. (Photos courtesy BCCI).

Brief Scores:

Mumbai Indians – 179/9 in 20 Overs (Tilak Varma 65 (45b: 5x4s, 3x6s), Nehal Wadhera 49 (24b:  3x4s, 4x6s), Mohammad Nabi 23 (17b: 2x4s, 1x6); Sandeep Sharma 5/18, Trent Boult 2/32, Yuzvendra Chahal 1/48, Avesh Khan 1/40) lost to  Rajasthan Royals – 183/1 in 18.4 Overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 104* (60b: 9x4s, 7x6s), Sanju Samson 38*(28b: 2x4s, 2x6s), Jos Buttler 35 (25b: 6x4s);Piyush Chawla 1/33) by 9 wickets. Player of the Match: Sandeep Sharma (Rajasthan Royals)

Photo Above : Rajasthan Royals opener Yashasvi Jaiswal scored an unbeaten 104 off 60 balls - including 9 fours and 7 sixes in his team’s nine wicket win over Mumbai Indians for a golden double this IPL season (Photos courtesy BCCI)

Photo Above : Rajasthan Royals veteran pacer Sandeep Sharma who took crucial wickets inside powerplay and death overs for his maiden five wicket haul was named the Player of the Match