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IPL 2021: Punjab Kings beat Rajasthan Royals by 4 runs

Sanju Samson's 119-run bid for victory hinged on a single six in the final ball

sanju-samson-kl-rahul-royals-pti Collage: Punjab Kings Skipper Sanju Samson, Rajasthan Royals' batsmen K.L. Rahul and Deepak Hooda | PTI

The final ball decided it all: After an attempt at a four went for vain, Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson, at 119 runs (the first century of this IPL season), told Chris Morris not to take the single, sending the South African running back halfway across the pitch.

Needing five runs in a single ball, Samson took the crease and waited. Arshdeep Singh, who had taken out Manan Vohra and Shivam Dube, dealt the final delivery which Samson hit with all his might but could not clear past sweeper cover. Deepak Hooda, whose 105-run partnership with K.L. Rahul set the Royals up for victory, took the catch and ended the game.

Speaking after the match, played at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, Samson said he didn't think he could have done better.

"I don't have words to explain my feelings. Would have loved to finish it off for my team. I don't think I could have done better than that. I thought I timed it well for a six but somehow... Catches go down and good catches were also taken. It's part of the game," he said. 

In the first innings, Rahul and Hooda pummelled the Rajasthan Royals bowlers into submission with their sensational stroke play, propelling Punjab Kings to an imposing 221-6.

While Rahul smashed seven fours and five sixes in his 50-ball 91, Hooda, playing his first game since the last IPL, plundered six maximums and four boundaries as he blazed his way to 64 off just 28 balls. Put into bat, Punjab lost opener Mayank Agarwal (14) early, who edged it back to Royals captain and wicketkeeper Sanju Samson for IPL debutant Chetan Sakariya's first wicket. He ended being the pick of the bowlers, conceding only five runs in the 20th over.

Rahul, who got his first four with a glance to the fine-leg fence, and Chris Gayle (40 off 28) gave the team a good start with their 67-run stand.

Rahul got a life' after Ben Stokes dropped him at the fence in the seventh over even as Gayle, looked in his elements. The duo then took on Stokes, as Gayle hit his 350th IPL six, a pull over deep square in the 8th over with Punjab racing to 70 for one.

Gayle was dropped by leggie Rahul Tewatia (0/25) off his own bowling and the very next ball, the left-hander smashed a six. However, in the 10th over, Riyan Parag (1/7) removed Gayle, who was holed out to Stokes in the deep.

Rahul then changed gears and got to his fifty with a six over Shivam Dube's (0/20) head in the 13th over. Hooda then smashed two maximums in the same over and then struck three sixes off Shreyas Gopal (0/40) in the next as Punjab went ballistic.

It was Rahul and Hooda's show at the Wankhede that made the difference to their total as the duo tore into the opposition attack on way to to their 105-run stand. Courtesy their monstrous hitting, Punjab added 111 runs in the final eight overs.

Samson was the only big hitter from the Royal's side, with 12 fours and 7 sixes. Stokes went for a duck and Jos Buttler, Shivam Dube and Riyan Parag all went out for 25 runs or less. Arshdeep Singh's three-wicket haul weakened Punjab, though the chasing side still managed to be just a single boundary shy of the magic mark courtesy its skipper. 

IPL debutant Chetan Sakariya was the pick of the Rajasthan bowlers with three wickets for 31 runs in four overs.

Having won their first game, Punjab are now due to play Chennai Super Kings on Friday, while the Royals will be up against Delhi Capitals on Thursday.

With inputs from PTI

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