JAIPUR: Yashasvi Jaiswal’s outstanding 75 and Dhruv Jurel’s crucial 35 powered Rajasthan Royals to 173/4 in their 20 overs in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season on Sunday at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson opened the innings for RR, Yashasvi Jaiswal played the power-play well but RR skipper Sanju Samson found it very difficult to score, he got out in the 7th over of the innings, getting trapped by Krunal Pandya for 15 (19). Sanju struggled to score runs which led RR to finish their power-play on 45/0.
Riyan Parag joined Jaiswal in the middle, and as the partnership was building between Parag and Jaiswal, Yash Dayal dropped a sitter catch of Riyan Parag on Suyash Sharma’s bowling in the 10th over. In the halfway RR made 77/1.
Parag and Jaiswal played well after the power-play. They consistently rotated the strike and kept scoring boundaries in every over, Jaiswal bought up his fifty in the 13th over, his second in the IPL 2025.
Parag and Jaiswal crossed 50-run partnership for the second wicket in the 13th over after Parag played a backfoot punch straight into Virat Kohli’s hand at short covers in the 14th over, courtesy of Yash Dayal’s bowling, Parag made 30(22) including three fours and a six. Just when Jaiswal and Parag were looking to raise the rate, Parag fell to Yash Dayal.
Dhruv Jurel joined Jaiswal in the middle, Jurel started very slowly which resulted in Jaiswal trying too many shots and falling to Josh Hazlewood in the 16th over for 75 (47) including ten fours and two sixes.
Shimron Hetmyer joined Dhruv Jurel for the final four over, Suyash Sharma was unlucky today as two chances went down in his spell, and Virat Kohli dropped an easy catch of Dhruv Jurel in the 17th over on longoff. Seven misfields and two dropped catches from RCB fielders today.
Jurel took on Dayal in the 19th over, smashing a six and four in the first two balls, adding 15 runs off his last over. Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled an outstanding 20th over, giving away 11 runs and took the wicket of Hetmyer.
Jurel played a vital hand of 35 (23) which helped RR post a target of 174 for RCB. In bowling, Krunal Pandya (1/29), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/32), Josh Hazlewood (1/26) and Yash Dayal (1/36) took a wicket each, Suyash Sharma (0/39) went wicketless.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Rajat won the toss and opted to bowl first against RR.
Brief score: Rajasthan Royals ( Yashasvi Jaiswal 75, Dhruv Jurel 35*; Krunal Pandya 1/29) vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru. (ANI)
