Rajasthan pull off last-ball thriller
Punjab’s Arshdeep takes five wickets but Rajasthan steal win through Tyagi’s final over heroics in Dubai
CHANDIGARH: Rajasthan Royals need a miracle to win a match, and in an incredible reversal of fortunes produced it as Punjab Kings equally unbelievably let slip victory from their grasp in a thrilling last ball finish in Dubai on Tuesday.
With just seven runs to conjure up a victory after looking second best most of the evening, Mustafiqur Rahman gave away only four runs in the 19th over. Young pacer Kartik Tyagi, an India U-19 member who was on the historic Australia tour as a net bowler, produced a thrilling final over, taking two wickets, conceding just one run and then beating Fabien Allen last ball to give no run with Punjab Kings needing two to at least tie the game.
In an Indian Premier League of two parts, bowlers have so far relished shaking up the image of T20 cricket as a batsman’s game since the second phase began in the UAE at the weekend. Until Kartik Tyagi’s heroics, it was another U-19 World Cup starlet who promised to hog the headlines. Fast bowler Arshdeep Singh seemed to have enacted the second part of his 2021 IPL heroics against former winners Rajasthan Royals.
The 22-year-old Punjab leftarmer captured 5/32, his maiden IPL fifer to underline his rapidly improving career graph. Rajasthan Royals were at the receiving end of the 6’3” bowler, though they avoided a major batting collapse unlike Royal Challengers Bangalore the previous night against Kolkata Knight Riders.
In the end, RR managing 185 all out made the difference, unlike Royal Challengers Bangalore collapsing to less than 100. Punjab Kings, looking headed for an easy win, were restricted to 183/4. Allen missed and the Royals camp erupted in celebration.
A member of the victorious 2018 U-19 World Cup side, Arshdeep had given grief to Royals in the first leg in April as well, bowling the final over and dismissing skipper Sanju Samson for 119 to clinch a four-run win for Punjab Kings. And that team had England stalwarts Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes, both not available in the UAE with fast bowler Jofra Archer too out injured.
Arshdeep is among the next line of fast men with potential to play for India, and being a left-arm bowler and 6’3” tall, makes him even more welcome. Going as a net bowler on the limited-over tour of Sri Lanka was a step up as well.
On Tuesday, his first three wickets were set batsmen. Evin Lewis (36) had a fifty stand with Yashasvi Jaiswal (49) before he sliced a shot to cover. Skipper Samson, at No. 3, fell cheaply to Ishan Porel. Liam Livingston (25) was next, his hopes of hitting Arshdeep for a boundary was turned into a brilliant catch by Fabian Allen, running and diving at deep midwicket. Chetan Sakariya and Kartik Tyagi provided obliging tail-enders.
RR didn’t do their cause any favour. Rival skipper KL Rahul hit 49 in a 120-run opening stand with Mayank Agarwal (67- 43b, 7x4, 2x6) to effectively kill the contest. But Rahul was dropped by Lewis on 2 at backward point and then IPL’s most expensive buy, Chris Morris, drew a mistake from him on 29, only for Riyan Parag, moving back, to drop the easy chance. Rahul, who became the second fastest to 3,000 runs in IPL, was also dropped Chetan Sakariya and still didn’t get his first. He and Agarwal fell in the space of eight deliveries, but Aiden Markram and Nicolas Pooran steered the team almost home.
Brief Scores: Rajasthan Royals 185 in 20 overs (A Singh 5/32) beat Punjab Kings (M Agarwal 67, K Tyagi 2/29) by 2 runs