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A brilliant late onslaught by Shimron Hetmyer (59 not out off 36 balls) and a tactical switch by R Ashwin, who became the first player in IPL history to get retired out, helped Rajasthan Royals reach a modest 165/6 in 20 overs in Match 20 of IPL 2022 at the Wankhede Stadium, here on Sunday.
Hetmyer and Ashwin were going strong having rescued Rajasthan Royals from 4-67 to 135 in the 19th over when Ashwin, after taking a single off Avesh Khan, sprinted to the dugout and Riyan Parag, considered a better finisher, stepped into the field.
But it was Heymyer who capitalised on the situation, swatted Khan over deep point and midwicket off successive balls as Rajasthan Royals made a late charge towards a respectable total. Hetmyer and Ashwin added 68 runs for the fifth wicket of 51 balls as they revived the Royals innings.
In the final over, Hetmyer struck Jason Holder to a huge six off a slow full toss and Parag repeated the act off another full toss before being caught by K Gowtham at fine leg boundary off a slow bouncer by Holder with one more delivery to go in the match. Rajasthan eventually set up a decent total but whether that would be sufficient, needs to be seen.
Earlier, Rajasthan opened their batting with Jos Buttler and Devdutt Padikkal and they provided them a decent start, taking them to 42 before Buttler was out, giving LSG their first breakthrough. Pacer Avesh Khan castled the English batter on the first ball of his spell as he bowled full around the off stump. Buttler, who had struck a century earlier in the tournament, missed it completely and it crashed into the stumps.
Skipper Sanju Samson (13), Rassie van der Dussen (4), and Padikkal, who lived a charmed life as he treated Bishnoi to boundaries off successive balls before being dropped off the spinner's next over, and from 1-42, Rajasthan Royals slumped to 67/4 with Krishnappa Gowtham picking a couple of wickets and Avesh Khan and Jason Holder bagging one each.
Ashwin and Hetmyer resurrected the innings and then unleashed some superb shots to add 68 runs for the fifth wicket.
Brief scores: Rajasthan Royals 165/6 in 20 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 29, Shimron Hetmyer 59 not out, R Ashwin 28; K Gowtham 2/30, Jason Holder 2/48).
