IPL 2022, match 34th: Buttler hits season’s third ton as Rajasthan wins by 15 runs
Jos Buttler hits his third century in 7 games in IPL 2022 to help Rajasthan Royals beat Delhi Capitals by 15 runs at Wankhede Stadium on April 22. Rajasthan made the highest IPL 2022 total of 222/2, but a last-over drama saw them clinch a thriller by 15 runs.
With 36 runs to score off 6 balls, Rovman Powell smashed three sixes on the first three balls off Obed McCoy’s over. But the third six came off a debatable waist full toss. Delhi protested, with captain Rishabh Pant even calling his players back, and finally sent assistant coach Pravin Amre to discuss with the umpires. But the umpire stayed on with their decision, and the game continued. Powell lost his concentration and could score just 2 runs more before getting out on the last ball.
Rajasthan innings
Losing the toss once again, Rajasthan put up a 155-run stand for the opening wicket. Buttler and Devdutt Padikkal complemented each other well, but they started slow, scoring just 12 runs in the first 3 overs. Padikkal broke loose in the fourth over, hitting three fours off Mustafizur Rahman. Buttler too got into the groove, having started with 14-ball 11, hitting two sixes off Khaleel Ahmed in the 6th over.
With both batsmen finding their timing, there was no stopping them. Buttler raced to his fifty in 36 balls with a four off Lalit Yadav. Padikkal too reached his fifty but fell soon thereafter LBW to Ahmed for 35-ball 54 with 7 fours and 2 sixes. Captain Sanju Samson joined Buttler and kept the momentum going with big shots. Buttler took another 21 balls to reach his next fifty. He was finally bowled by Rahman for 116 off 65 balls with 9 fours and 9 sixes. Samson played a cameo of 19-ball 46 not out to take Rajasthan to 222/2.
Delhi innings
Delhi needed a good start by their openers to make a match of it. And they didn’t disappoint with David Warner taking the lead. He slammed 14-ball 28 with 5 fours and 1 six before he edged it behind to Samson off Prasidh Krishna’s bowling. No 3 Sarfaraz Khan didn’t last long and fell for 1 off R Ashwin’s bowling.
Captain Pant then joined opener Prithvi Shaw in the middle. The two stitched a 51-run stand in 4.5 overs before Shaw holed out in the deep to Trent Boult off Ashwin. Shaw made 27-ball 37 with 5 fours and 1 six. Pant was looking good, but a mistime pull saw him being dismissed as Padikkal took a good diving catch off Krishna’s bowling. Pant made 24-ball 44 with 4 fours and 2 sixes.
At 124/4 in 12 overs and with Pane gone, it looked like curtains for Delhi. But Lalit Yadav kept the hopes alive with 24-ball 37. He was dismissed in the penultimate over bowled by Krishan, who took a wicket maiden.
With 36 runs to get in 6 balls, Powell gave it all in the first 3 balls, before a no-ball drama derailed the momentum and saw Delhi lose by 15 runs.
Brief scores: Rajasthan Royals 222/2 (Jos Buttler 116, Devdutt Padikkal 54) beats Delhi Capitals 207/8 (Rishabh Pant 44, Prasidh Krishna 3/22) by 15 runs.