IPL 2022: MATCH 52 & 53 RESULTS
Match 52: Rajasthan Royals won by 6 wickets
The Rajasthan Royals (RR) returned to winning ways in the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 on Saturday at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 6 wickets. Yuzvendra Chahal took three wickets before Yashasvi Jaiswal made his comeback with a brilliant half-century that helped RR to a 6-wicket victory. RR scored 14 off the opening over, needing 190 to win, as Yashasvi Jaiswal hit two fours and a six off Sandeep Sharma. Jos Buttler had a grand entrance with a six followed by three fours, but the RR opener was caught at short third man by Kagiso Rabada on the final ball. Sanju Samson struck three fours for RR, who were 67-1 after six overs.
After Samson was caught in the eighth over by Rishi Dhawan, the 39-run partnership was broken. At the midway point, RR led 95-2. After two fours, Jaiswal reached his half-century. Jaiswal smashed three fours against Rishi Dhawan in the 13th over for 14 runs. Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal were in a fifty-fifty partnership. Arshdeep Singh ended the stand by taking Yashasvi Jaiswal's crucial wicket.
Hetmyer hammered two straight fours to push RR closer with 39 needed off 24 deliveries. After Hetmyer bowled a full-toss and Padikkal added two fours, Rabada's 18th over yielded 16 runs. RR needed 8 runs off the final over, while Arshdeep Singh only gave up 3 runs in the penultimate over. RR brought down the score with 4 balls to spare when Hetmyer hit a six in the penultimate over.
PBKS, who chose to bat first, maintained their lead from their previous triumph. Jonny Bairstow and Shikhar Dhawan, the openers, started smoothly with the bat. With five fours and a six, Bairstow was off and running. Dhawan, on the other hand, was dismissed by Ashwin after Buttler took a superb one-handed catch at mid-on. After six overs, PBKS were 48-1 before Rajapaksa hit his first maximum of the innings. The left-handed batsman forged an important partnership with Bairstow, who was leading PBKS' batsmen.
PBKS led 88-1 at halftime when Rajapaksa was cleaned up by Yuzvendra Chahal. Mayank Agarwal, the new hitter in the crease, smashed two fours off Ravichandran Ashwin. Bairstow hit his half-century before Chahal dismissed both Agarwal and Bairstow in quick succession. Bairstow was stranded LBW by the spinner while Agarwal holed up in the deep. PBKS were 132-4 with four overs to go after new hitter Liam Livingstone hit his first maximum. PBKS were 158-4 with two overs to go as Jitesh Sharma smashed two straight fours and a six.
Prasidh Krishna rocked the stumps to dismiss Livingstone for a four and a six. As PBKS produced 189-5 in the first innings, Jitesh Sharma supplied an outstanding finishing touch with a six and two fours.
Scores: Rajasthan Royals 190/4 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 68, Shimron Hetmyer 30*; Arshdeep Singh 2-29) beat Punjab Kings 189/5 (Jonny Bairstow 56, Jitesh Sharma 38*; Yuzvendra Chahal 3-28) by 6 wickets.
Match 53: Lucknow Super Giants won by 75 runs
After defeating Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 75 runs on Saturday at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) climbed to the top of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 points table. Quinton de Kock's half-century, combined with Avesh Khan's three-wicket haul, helped LSG win by 75 runs as they successfully defended their 176-run total. KKR lost Baba Indrajith in the first over while chasing 177. To begin the innings, Mohsin Khan took the wicket of the opener and bowled a wicket—maiden.
After KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer was caught at square-leg in the fourth over, Dushmantha Chameera claimed the innings' second wicket. KKR's woes worsened as Aaron Finch was caught by Quinton de Kock in the sixth over by Jason Holder. The powerplay ended with KKR leading 25-3. After the left-handed batter was castled by Avesh Khan in the seventh over, Nitish Rana was the next hitter to withdraw.
Andre Russell made his presence known at the crease by going all out against the LSG bowling assault. LSG were 64-4 at the halfway mark as the KKR all-rounder smashed two fours and four enormous sixes. Rinku Singh's tenure at the crease came to an end when he was caught at deep midwicket by Ravi Bishnoi. Sunil Narine and Andre Russell added two sixes and a four to the total. Avesh Khan, on the other hand, dragged LSG back into the game by taking two wickets in one over, including Russell's crucial breakthrough.
Jason Holder then dismissed Narine and Tim Southee with consecutive deliveries, while Harshit Rana was run-out in the same over. LSG won by 75 runs after KKR were all out for 101 runs.
Earlier, LSG made one alteration to their lineup, with Avesh Khan replacing K Gowtham in the eleven. Due to a magnificent direct shot from opposing captain Shreyas Iyer, skipper KL Rahul was run-out without facing a delivery. Quinton de Kock and Deepak Hooda built a brisk fifty-run partnership despite the pressure of losing an early wicket. Southee bowled the third over, and de Kock smashed the first six of the innings. Hooda hit his first century against Narine's bowling. After de Kock whacked consecutive sixes in the sixth over, LSG were 66-1 at the end of the powerplay.
Before being caught at long-off by Shivam Mavi off Narine's bowling, the opener reached his half-century in the seventh over. Hooda was joined at the crease by Krunal Pandya. LSG were 90-2 at halftime after Pandya and Hooda each contributed four runs against Harshit Rana. Hooda cleared the ropes against Anukul Roy, giving LSG the 100. After KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer secured Hooda's catch, Andre Russell ended the 34-run partnership. Russell then struck out Krunal Pandya, who was caught at deep-point.
Marcus Stoinis hit three consecutive sixes before holeing out to the deep in the last over, which yielded 30 runs. LSG recorded 176-7 in the first innings, with Jason Holder hitting two sixes before being caught by Rinku Singh in the final over.
Scores: Lucknow Super Giants 176/7 (Quinton de Kock 50, Deepak Hooda 41; Andre Russell 2-22) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 101 all out (Andre Russell 45, Sunil Narine 22; Avesh Khan 3-19) by 75 runs.
