In the 50th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 Rajasthan Royals (RR) defeated the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) by 7 wickets as they chased down the target of 186 runs with 15 balls to spare. Having won the toss, RR chose to field in what was a must-win affair for them, and their in-form players, Ben Stokes and Sanju Samson played fiery knocks to take their team home. Unlike KXIP, RR knew that a loss would not be curtains for them.

Going ahead unchanged, the Royals got the wicket of Mandeep Singh in the first over itself owing to the brilliant bouncer by Jofra Archer. Although a similar story unfolded as Archer was left unsupported from the other end as Chris Gayle and KL Rahul kept the scoreboard as they added 53 runs in the powerplay. While Rahul was playing cautiously, Gayle raced away to his half-century in his brutal style.

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After the early breakthrough, the Royals’ bowlers were torn apart by Gayle as along with KXIP skipper, the Universe Boss added 121 runs for the second wicket. In the 14th over, Rahul (46 from 41) holed out to deep midwicket, where Rahul Tewatia made no mistake. Joined by his countryman Nicholas Pooran (22 from 10), Gayle continued to massacre the bowlers as the latter completed the tally of 1000 sixes in T20s. He was at 99 when a searing yorker on the leg-stump by Jofra Archer denied Gayle a scintillating century.

Coming to chase a daunting target, Ben Stokes came out all guns blazing as his early assault was evident, as while still in the powerplay, the Englishman got to himself a half-century. Giving some reason to his team to smile, Chris Jordan snapped Stokes (50 from 26) on the last ball of the powerplay, who gave a straight catch to Deepak Hooda. 

Despite taking a wicket, KXIP failed to turn the game in their favor as Uthappa along with Samson kept on tonking the bowlers consistently as they helped the team to reach103/1 at the halfway mark. Just when Uthappa tried to shift gears, he was dismissed by Murugan Ashwin leaving the Royals 111/2.

WATCH – Ben Stokes Takes An Unthinkable Catch To Send Back Mandeep Singh 

Samson (48 from 25) continued his hitting from the other end, although he ran himself out in the 15th over while trying to steal a quick single on the call of the RR skipper, Steve Smith. While KXIP might have thought to claw their way back in, Steven Smith (31* from 20) and Jos Buttler (22* from 11) joined hands to ensure that they took their team across the line with 15 balls to spare.

Hits

Ben Stokes

RR’s stubbornness with Stokes (50 off 26) finally paid off for them as the English all-rounder smashed a dominating fifty against the star-studded bowling attack of KXIP with ridiculous ease.

Sanju Samson

Ben Stokes was well assisted by Sanju Samson (48 off 25), who was hungry to score runs for his team. After a fiery opening spell, Arshdeep Singh was battered by Samson for 14 runs in the 9th over that led to a complete change in momentum.

Chris Gayle

After the early dismissal of Mandeep Singh, Chris Gayle had some belligerent plans. At the 15-over mark, MI was 123/2. After 20, they reached 185, thanks to some insane hitting by Gayle, who smoked Stokes and Kartik Tyagi for 14 runs apiece in the 18th and the 19th over.

Flops

Mandeep Singh

After scoring a brilliant half-century in the last game against MI, Maiden failed to continue the momentum. He was dismissed on the golden duck by Jofra Archer in the first over itself.