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So that's that from this contest. But we have a double bonanza lined up for you - Mumbai Indians, seeking their first win of the season, go up against the Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium before the Lucknow Super Giants host the Gujarat Titans in Lucknow. Two mouth-watering contests await so do join us for our coverage of those right here on Sportskeeda while keeping yourselves updated with further cricketing news and action from around the world on this very platform. For the moment, this is the troika of Arya Sekhar Chakraborty, Rajarshi Das and Sooryanarayanan Sesha taking your leave. Thank you so much for joining us today - good night and see you again tomorrow!
Virat Kohli's hundred from earlier today will be paving the way for quite a lot of debate, but the fact of the matter is that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru have deeper wounds to look after. Their middle-order, packed with some really big names and exciting prospects, just haven't pulled through more often. Their bowling attack - a perennial cause of concern for the three-time IPL finalists, have lacked application - they've been either too predictable with their variation in pace or have bowled the wrong lengths. Plenty of issues for them to address as they head to Mumbai for their next game.
The Rajasthan Royals keep pulling clear of every other team in the competition. Four games into the tournament, they sure are addressing the problems that they've had - Jos Buttler, who looked a touch out of sorts coming into this game, batted all the way through till the end, and proceeded to play an integral part in winning the game for his side. Their bowling display in the powerplay was a touch off-colour, but the Royals managed to stem the flow of runs in the first innings after the powerplay, courtesy their spin-duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal. The Royals seem high on confidence and momentum - a few potential match-winners have put their hand up and done the job, and they'll be keen on building this momentum as they host the Gujarat Titans next.
Jos Buttler is the Player of the Match for his sparkling unbeaten 100. Here's what he has to say: Obviously had a little bit of luck. In the end I didn't time it well, it just went over the rope. But happy to get the win. However long you play the game you still have those anxieties and stresses. You sort of dig into the things you've done well, keep working hard. And you need a bit of luck along the way. Just about having faith that at some point it will be okay. I actually did feel really good in the last game even though I got just 13 runs. I had a really good tournament in South Africa at the start of the year. I struggled last year but I felt I needed just one innings to get on the board. We've started this season really well. I know we've been together now for three seasons, everyone's been comfortable with each other and the support staff's been outstanding. But we just need to keep doing well.
Sanju Samson (Rajasthan Royals captain): Yes I think anything below 190 with a little bit of dew coming in, I felt with the batting we had, was a good score to chase. (On the bowling) Touchwood, it is (coming good). I think the few days off to rest, recover and train is helping us. (Bowling or batting, which is RR's stronger suit?) It's a very tough one - I'd say bowling is 9 and batting is 8.7 (grins). (On Buttler returning to form) It was just about time. We knew if he just gets through that powerplay and hits a few balls off the middle of the bat, I just needed to stick around with him and he'd do it. Very happy for him.
Kumar Sangakkara (Rajasthan Royals director): It was a good toss to win. RCB put a bit pressure on us but the way Nandre bowled and then the other bowlers came back was great. The chat isn't necessarily about the game. Form is about the state of mind. Jos has been the best white ball opener in the last few overs. We have a nice balance of that with Jos. He knows what to do. I think Jais had a brilliant two years not only with Rajasthan. A few bad innings doesn't make him any less a player. We want him to relax and bat long. It's nice even without Jais performing we managed to win this. He has to clear his mind. I think it's about honest conversations. Sanju and I have connected very well. We have talked off season and forged a good relationship with the unit. All these guys have the skills but it's about bringing about belongingness on the field. The focus has been more inward and then outward.
Faf du Plessis (Royal Challengers Bangalore captain): Look I think batting out there for a long time in the middle with Virat, the pitch looked difficult to score on. We could have maximised towards the end but the way their spinners bowlers, it was staying low and getting difficult. Now in hindsight we feel we should have pushed a bit more towards the end. Obviously, Virat played really well towards the end. You want to maximise the last two overs. We had wickets in hand but me and Virat wanted to squeeze as much as we can as their were big boys wer waiting in the dug out. A lot of balls were keeping low and it was easier against the pacers. There was moisture and this is what dew does. We were excellent in the first four overs but the one over from the spinner that went for 24 runs shifted the pressure back on us. All the right handers were batting so I went to the left arm spinner and didn't bowl Maxwell. You would start with the ball spinning away. Then brought the leg spinner in. I used the attacking option, tried to get a wicket. If there was a left hander there, Maxi would have bowled. When two right handers are there it's not the greatest of options going for off spin. We weren't good on the field. Not too worried about the catches, it's more about the intensity as a fielding group.
Match Summary: Rajasthan Royals beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by 6 wickets.
A measured, calculated run chase was what this was from the Royals. All they needed was a hint of impetus going into the powerplay - they got that with the help of some dazzling strokes from Sanju Samson who looked the part with his strokes against the rising deliveries early on. Jos Buttler, as has been the case with him more often than not, managed to nurdle his way to a start today, and once he was set, there was no looking back for the hosts.
A rash stroke from Yashasvi Jaiswal - hoick across the line to a length delivery well outside off stump two balls into the run-chase - saw the continuation of a poor run for the left-handed India opener. Samson and Buttler got a hang of the bounce on this deck - while the RCB pacers looked to hit the deck hard more often than not, they did so without much discipline or variation in pace, and the boundaries kept coming along nicely for the duo of Samson and Buttler.
RCB rotated their bowlers, but to no avail. Faf's decision to bring spin on with one over left in the powerplay backfired massively - Buttler toyed with Mayank Dagar in the left-arm spinner's first over - Dagar was too short at times and was brutally dealt with, he overcooked and floated one up and saw the ball disappear over his head.
With Buttler having taken 20 off the final over of the powerplay, RR had the ideal start to their run-chase. Samson and Buttler were more than happy to keep going with their onslaught after the powerplay. They had their fair share of luck as well - there were catching opportunities and run out chances that went begging, and in a matter of time, both batters completed their half-centuries.
For a large part of those middle overs, Samson and Buttler looked good in taking the Royals over the finishing line. But suddenly, the RCB bowlers and fielders found a belated sense of motivation - Samson, Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel departed one after the other, and while RCB picked some momentum going into the final time-out of the night, with a well-set Buttler in the middle, and an equation under run-a-ball, the Rajasthan Royals had the game well within their grasp. With the scores level, Jos Buttler had the opportunity to register a three-figure score, he went for it, and reached his landmark in sumptuous fashion! Stay tuned for the presentations....
AND HE GETS IT! A sixth IPL ton for Joseph Charles Buttler! Talk about standing up when his team needed him to and he sure has delivered in style. What a magnificent innings and he's gone level with Chris Gayle in terms of number of IPL tons and is just behind Virat Kohli now. Rajasthan Royals win by 6 wickets with five deliveries to spare!
19.1 Cameron Green to Jos Buttler, SIX! What a moment for Jos Buttler and Rajasthan Royals. On a length around the middle stump from Green, Buttler clears his front leg and swings across the line, didn't quite nail that but had just enough to clear the deep midwicket fence and gets to his 6th IPL century. Buttler and Hetmyer enjoying the moment. Buttler jumps in joy and it will be a big relief for one of the finest white ball players of the modern generation.
Green to bowl the last over. A six can still get Buttler his ton. He's on 94...
Not quite. But the scores are level. The writing is on the wall and a fourth straight win is loading for the home side, who have been indomitable here in Jaipur. Rajasthan Royals require 1 run to win off the last over!
19
overs
183/4score
0
0
1
4
1wd
1
1
runs
Jos Buttler*
94(57)
Shimron Hetmyer
11(6)
Mohammed Siraj
1/35
18.6 Mohammed Siraj to Jos Buttler, on a length a shade outside off, Buttler swipes across the line and gets a cue ender towards the third man region and takes a single to keep strike for the final over. If he smashes a six, Buttler will get to his century.
Will Buttler seal it with a six?
18.5 Mohammed Siraj to Shimron Hetmyer, digs out the yorker-length delivery around middle, towards the midwicket region and takes a single.
18.5 Mohammed Siraj to Shimron Hetmyer, short and wide well wide outside off, Hetmyer leaves it to the keeper and has been called a wide. RCB has taken the review for the wide given onfield. The third umpire is satisfied with the onfield call here.
That may have certainly killed Buttler's chances of getting a ton!
18.4 Mohammed Siraj to Shimron Hetmyer, FOUR! Hetmyer gets the gap again and Rajasthan just one hit away from registering a victory. On a length around the middle stump channel, swung away across the line from the inside half of the bat, didn't quite time that but again bisects the deep square leg and the deep midwicket fielders.
18.3 Mohammed Siraj to Jos Buttler, fuller-length delivery around the off-stump, drilled down the ground but straight to the mid-off fielder but Buttler takes on the arm of the fielder and completes the single comfortably.
18.2 Mohammed Siraj to Jos Buttler, slower back of a length delivery, into the surface and cramps Buttler for space, he tries to glide that away over the keeper's head, doesn't make any contact.
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F du Plessis
J Buttler
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Jos Buttler
*
Mohammed Siraj
Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
