Wicketkeeper batsman Sanju Samson showed his class yet again as he, along with skipper Steve Smith, blasted the Chennai Super Kings bowlers all around the park to set up a 217-run target, in the IPL 2020 match in Sharjah.
Being put into bat, Smith opened the batting for the first time in his career, along with Yashasvi Jaiswal (6). The latter’s dismissal brought Samson to the crease, who quickly took the CSK attack to the cleaners, scoring 74 off just 32 balls, with nine sixes and one four. He was particularly harsh on spinners Piyush Chawla (4-0-55-1) and Ravindra Jadeja (4-0-40-0). Samson brought up his fifty in just 19 balls.
Smith, too, teed off in Samson’s company, finishing with a 47-ball 69. The duo put on 121 runs off 57 balls, leaving CSK captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni fumbling for ideas to stop the onslaught.
Samson’s dismissal off Lungi Ngidi, put the brakes on the scoring, with the Royals losing a clutch of wickets. But pacer Jofra Archer smashed four sixes off the 20th over bowled by Ngidi, taking the score to a challenging 216/7.
CSK do not have the opening game's hero, Ambati Rayudu, because of injury. He was replaced with Ruturaj Gaikwad.
The match features brothers Sam Curran for CSK and elder sibling Tom Curran for the Royals.
Rajasthan Royals:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Robin Uthappa, Sanju Samson(wk), Steven Smith(c), David Miller, Riyan Parag, Shreyas Gopal, Tom Curran, Rahul Tewatia, Jofra Archer, Jaydev Unadkat.
Chennai Super Kings:
Murali Vijay, Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad, MS Dhoni(wk/c), Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Deepak Chahar, Piyush Chawla, Lungi Ngidi.