SCOREBOARD

t 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.

IAggressor, anchor

Parag took the maximum strike during the 130run thirdwicket partnership off 78 balls with skipper Sanju Samson (68 n.o, 38b, 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 the music from the Royals batters.

Parag smashed Noor for three sixes on the legside as the game seemed to slip out of Titans’ grasp.

Featuring in his 50th game as captain of Royals, Samson made the occasion memorable by bringing up his third halfcentury of the season.

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.

RAJASTHAN ROYALS

Yashasvi Jaiswal c Wade b Umesh 24 (19b, 5x4), Jos Buttler c Tewatia b Rashid 8 (10b), Sanju Samson (not out) 68 (38b, 7x4, 2x6), Riyan Parag c Vijay Shankar b Mohit 76 (48b, 3x4, 5x6), Shimron Hetmyer (not out) 13 (5b, 1x4, 1x6); Extras (w7): 7; Total (for three wkts. in 20 overs): 196.

FALL OF WICKETS

132 (Jaiswal, 4.2 overs), 242 (Buttler, 5.4), 3172 (Parag, 18.4).

TITANS BOWLING

Umesh 40471, Johnson 40370, Rashid 40181, Noor 40430, Mohit 40511.

Toss: Gujarat Titans.

Titans 76 for one

Titans were 76 for one in 10 overs with Gill (36) and Wade (4) at the crease when rain stopped play. Sai Sudharsan was trapped in front for 35 by seamer Kuldeep Sen