JAIPUR : Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper Sanju Samson continued his fine run in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, overtaking English batter Jos Buttler to have the most fifty-plus scores for the franchise in T20 cricket.
Samson accomplished this record during his side’s Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Gujarat Titans (GT) at Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium here.
The Kerala-born batter scored an unbeaten 68* in 38 balls, with seven fours and two sixes. His runs came at a strike rate of 178.95. This is Samson’s 23rd fifty for Rajasthan and his 25th score of fifty-plus when his two centuries are taken into consideration.
Buttler on the other hand, has scored 24 fifty-plus scores for RR, including six centuries and 18 fifties.
For Rajasthan, Sanju has scored 3,649 runs in 131 matches at an average of 31.45 and a strike rate of over 139.86, with two centuries and 23 fifties.
In this IPL, Sanju has scored 246 runs in five matches at an average of 82.00, with a strike rate of 157.69. He has scored three fifties, with the best score of 82*. Samson is the third-highest run-getter in the tournament so far, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Virat Kohli at the top with 316 runs in five matches at an average of 105.33 and a strike rate of over 146. He has scored a century and three fifties, with the best score of 113*.
Samson also registered the highest score by a player in his 50th IPL match as a captain, outdoing Gautam Gambhir’s 59 runs off 46 balls for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) against RCB in IPL 2013.
GT opted to bowl first after winning the toss. After losing Buttler and Jaiswal early, RR recovered with a massive 130-run third wicket stand between skipper Sanju Samson (68* in 38 balls, with seven fours and two sixes) and Riyan Parag (76 in 48 balls, with three fours and five sixes). RR posted 196/3 in 20 overs. GT need 197 runs to win.
Gujarat Titans (Playing XI): Shubman Gill(c), Sai Sudharsan, Vijay Shankar, Abhinav Manohar, Matthew Wade(w), Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Umesh Yadav, Spencer Johnson, Noor Ahmad and Mohit Sharma.
Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson(w/c), Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Navdeep Saini, Yuzvendra Chahal. (ANI)