SAMSON, TEWATIA POWER RAJASTHAN ROYALS TO VICTORY
Rajasthan Royals (RR) started their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 campaign on a high note when they defeated former champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 16 runs at the Sharjah Stadium in UAE yesterday. Skipper Steve Smith (69) and Sanju Samson (74) posted fifties that took RR to 216 for seven after they were put into bat and the three-time champions CSK in reply were restricted to 200 runs.
Francois du Plessis hit a top score of 72 for CSK from 37 balls with the help of seven sixes and one boundary while Rahul Tewatia claimed three crucial wickets.
Earlier, Steve Smith opened the innings with 18-year old Yashasvi Jaiswal, who departed for six runs in the third over.
Jaiswal’s departure brought wicket-keeper batsman Sanju Samson who looked in form from the start and scored his half century in just 19 deliveries.
Smith and Samson put on a 121-run partnership to make sure they win their tournament opener against the team who had
defeated the defending champions Mumbai Indians in the IPL season 13 curtain raiser on Saturday.
The pair had taken the scoreboard to 132 in 11.3 overs before Lungi Ngidi dismissed Samson for 74 (32 balls, one four and nine sixes). Smith’s innings was decorated with four sixes and an equal number of fours.
Jofra Archer’s late fireworks that included four sixes in the last over of the innings made sure RR crossed the 200-run mark. Archer remained not out on 27 off eight deliveries.