Defending champion Rublev crashes out
It wasn’t an easy wicket to bat on. Though the new ball didn’t move around too much, a few deliveries stayed low early on. Riyan Parag (76, 48b, 3x4, 5x6), however, made batting look easy.
Walking in with the score at 42 for two inside the PowerPlay, he made the most of two early reprieves and brought up his third fifty in five innings as Royals finished with 196 for three in their IPL game against Gujarat Titans at a packed Sawai Mansingh Stadium here on Wednesday.
Aggressor, anchor
Parag took the maximum strike during the 130run thirdwicket partnership off 78 balls with skipper Sanju Samson (68 n.o, 38b,
Andrey Rublev's Monte Carlo Masters title defence ended at the first hurdle on Wednesday with a straightsets defeat by Australian Alexei Popyrin, while Jannik Sinner eased through.
The Russian never got going in the secondround tie as Popyrin eased to a 64, 64 win.
The World No. 46 will face compatriot Alex de Minaur, who beat Tallon Griekspoor in three sets, for a possible quarterfinal 7x4, 2x6), the latter playing the anchor role to perfection.
But as the game progressed, Samson shifted gears, smashing 15 (two fours and a six) in the 15th over bowled by Spencer Johnson.
Delayed start
A sudden shower before the toss prompted Titans to bowl. Yashasvi Jaiswal, not in the best form, began aggressively and scored 24 off just 19 deliveries before Matthew Wade took a terrific catch off Umesh Yadav’s bowling.
Spin ace Rashid Khan sent back Jos Buttler soon, but Titans failed to build on the advantage.
Costly misses
While Wade dropped Parag twice, poor fielding, too, let the Titans down.
Rashid showed his guile to finish with figures of 40181 while Noor Ahmad started well before facing against Novak Djokovic.
Australian Open champion Sinner cruised through, though, seeing off American Sebastian Korda 61, 62.
The World No. 2 converted seven of the 12 break points he created and saved all three of the ones he faced in a dominant performance.
The Italian will next play JanLennard Struff of Germany in the last 16.
The results: Second round: de Minaur bt Griekspoor 26, 62, 63; Popyrin bt Rublev 64, 64; Sonego bt AugerAliassime 64, 75; Tsitsipas bt Etcheverry 61, 60; Khachanov bt Cerundolo 46, 64, 63; Sinner bt Korda 61, 62.
Piling it up
By the time Mohit Sharma dismissed Parag, the home team had piled up the runs.
Shimron Hetmyer provided the finishing touch with a six in Umesh’s final over to help Royals breach the 190run mark amid huge cheers from the home crowd.