GUWAHATI: Sam Curran led from the front with an all-round performance before departing for England as an unpredictable Punjab Kings got the better of hosts Rajasthan Royals in a low-scoring encounter at Barsapara Cricket Stadium here on Wednesday. Royals bowlers did their best to defend a below-par 144 but despite their efforts the total proved to be at least 15-20 runs short.
Curran first took 2-24 from his three overs before scoring an unbeaten 41-ball 63 to overshadow home boy Riyan Parag's responsible 48 in the first innings as Punjab reached home with a five-wicket win with seven balls to spare. Ashutosh Sharma came in as an impact player for the Kings and remained not out, scoring 17 off 11 balls.
Royals bowlers did well to keep the Kings batters on their toes for most part of the chase, with Avesh Khan being the pick of the lot, scalping two for 28 runs in 3.5 overs. Both his wickets - of Rilee Rossouw and Shashank Singh - came in the fifth over of the innings to raise some early hope for the 'home' side. However, Jitesh Sharma joined hands with Curran for a 63-run fifth-wicket stand which proved crucial for Kings.
Earlier, Riyan's story summed up the Rajasthan Royals innings as the local boy's matured but labourious 34-ball 48 helped Royals to a modest 144/9. Out of the race for Qualifiers, Punjab Kings bowlers put up a disciplined show to never allow any freebies to the Royals batters and restricted them to a below-par score despite Riyan's responsible innings and a cameo by R Ashwin at No. 5.
Curran, Rahul Chahar and Harshal Patel took two wickets each while Arshdeep Singh and Nathan Ellis scalped one a piece at a good economy rate to always keep the break on the Royals batters.
Opting to bat first, Sanju Samson and Co. never got off to a start they were looking for. Jos Buttler's departure ensured the debut of his com patriot Tom Kohler-Cadmore but the uncapped England opener failed to provide the breezy start Butler is known for. He returned to the pavilion after scoring 18 off 23 balls. India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal had departed in the first over itself, inside edging an inswinging Curran delivery onto his stumps.
Royals could put up only 38/1 in Powerplay, one of their slowest starts this season, and were reduced to 42/3 in 7.2 overs, scoring at below six per over. Captain Samson, who broke the 500-run mark for the first time in a single season this IPL, also failed to accelerate and returned scoring a 15-ball 18 while trying to make a shot out of nothing in the seventh over.
Riyan's well-paced innings was the need of the hour beside Ashwin's little cameo in the middle. The off-spinning allrounder scored a 19-ball 28 with three fours and a six.
1/10:Rajasthan lose to Punjab for fourth consecutive defeat
AFP
2/10:Sam Curran
<p>Skipper Sam Curran starred with bat and ball as Punjab Kings beat Rajasthan Royals by five wickets for a consolation win in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday. </p>AFP
3/10:Leading from the front
<p>Chasing 145 on a sluggish pitch, Punjab depended on Curran's unbeaten 63 to achieve their target with seven balls to spare in Guwahati. </p>AFP
4/10:63-run stand
<p>Curran put on a 63-run stand with Jitesh Sharma (22), and despite losing his partner in the 16th over lifted his team from the bottom of the 10-team table. </p>AFP
5/10:4th successive defeat
<p>Impact substitute Ashutosh Sharma smashed 17 and the winning run to hand Rajasthan their fourth successive defeat in this edition of the T20 tournament. </p>AFP
6/10:Riyan Parag
<p>Punjab, who had already bowed out of the playoff race, kept the opposition down to 144-9 despite a 34-ball 48 by Riyan Parag. </p>AFP
7/10:Yashasvi Jaiswal
<p>Curran bowled Yashasvi Jaiswal, for four, in the first over and then Samson departed for 18 off Nathan Ellis after a slow start. </p>AFP
8/10:50-run stand
<p>Parag found Ravichandran Ashwin, who hit 28 off 19 balls, for company and the two attempted to push the scoring in their partnership of 50. </p>PTI
9/10:Rahul Chahar
<p>The rest of the batting faltered against a disciplined attack as Curran, fellow quick Harshal Patel and spinner Rahul Chahar took two wickets each. </p>AFP
