In a highly anticipated match-up, the Rajasthan Royals took on the Punjab Kings at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. It was Rajasthan’s captain, Sanju Samson, who won the crucial toss and elected to bowl first. But the Punjab Kings, led by the in-form batsman Shikhar Dhawan, had other plans. Dhawan and his teammates put up a staggering 197 runs on the board, leaving Rajasthan with an uphill task to chase the target. Despite their valiant efforts, the Royals fell short by a mere 5 runs, much to the disappointment of their fans. It was an enthralling encounter that had fans on the edge of their seats till the very end.
Punjab Kings opened their IPL campaign with a bang as they recorded a comprehensive victory over Kolkata Knight Riders, even in the absence of two of their key players. The bowlers, Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Chahar, and Sikandar Raza, bowled their heart out and managed to restrict KKR to just 187 runs. However, it was Bhanuka Rajapaksa‘s aggressive half-century at number three that stole the show. The way he handled the KKR bowling attack was a pure delight to watch, and it provided the impetus that Punjab Kings needed to storm to a comfortable victory. With their first win of the season, PBKS looks all set to have a breakthrough year.
The Rajasthan Royals’ top order seems to be in amazing form as they go into their next match. With Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal starting strong in the previous game and Sanju Samson smashing a half-century, they were able to post an impressive total of 203 runs. While spin bowler Yuzvendra Chahal was in prime form, taking four wickets, Trent Boult and KM Asif also played their part, keeping the scoring rate under control. Both teams have powerful batting line-ups, so it’s expected that this will be a high-scoring match. While it won’t be easy for Rajasthan Royals to hold their own against the likes of Dhawan, Rajapaksa, and Chris Gayle, if Buttler, Jaiswal, and Samson can maintain their momentum, the home team will definitely be a force to be reckoned with.
