PBKS VS RR MATCH 66

Right then that is all we have from the coverage of this game. The Rajasthan players will be watching the remaining matches intently over the weekend hoping for the results to go their way to keep them alive in the competition while Punjab have certainly played their last match of the tournament. The action in the 16th edition of the Indian T20 League continues on Saturday 20th May as we have a doubleheader in store for us. First, Delhi take on Chennai at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in the capital and that game will begin at 3.30 pm IST (10 am GMT). This will be followed by a clash between Kolkata and Lucknow at the Eden Garden in the City of Joy at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT). The build-up for both of these games will begin well in advance so do join us for that. Until then, goodbye and cheers!

Devdutt Padikkal is the Player of the Match for scoring 51 runs in 30 deliveries. He says that it was the best that he has batted through the season apart from when he bats in the nets. Adds that he was following his process but the results were not happening in the middle. Shares that he was playing up and down the order but is happy to play in whatever position and learn as much as he can. Mentions that he was in a bad space a few months ago and is grateful for the opportunity to contribute to his side.

Sanju Samson, the captain of Rajasthan says that when Shimron Hetmyer was going well they well, they were hoping to get the game done early. Mentions that with the team they have and with the kind of quality they possess, it is shocking to see where they are on the table at this stage. Adds that they need to look back at the season and see where things went wrong. Claims that he has always spoken highly of Yashasvi Jaiswal and he is growing with each game so it is amazing to see that at a young age, he plays like he has played 100 T20s. Admits that he is 99% sure that Trent Boult will get him a wicket in the Powerplay. Ends by saying that with the way things went in the last three games, there was pressure on them right till the end.

Time for the presentations...

Shimron Hetmyer says that he was trying to finish the game inside 18 overs but adds that he did not get enough strike. Mentions that he had a bit of a dip in the middle but says that is how cricket works. Adds that it was nice to have the tussle with Sam Curran and it really pumped him up. Closes by saying that they will be looking at other results and see how it goes from there.

Shikhar Dhawan, the skipper of Punjab says they lost too many wickets while batting first. Mentions Jitesh Sharma, Sam Curran, and Shahrukh Khan did well to take them to a good total. Adds that they made some errors in the field and dropped catches cost them the game. Shares that they could have done well in all areas and did not get a collective effort. Adds that they all make mistakes and it is important to learn from them. Shares that he had to take the game deep and so the last over went to the spinner. Closes by saying that they will look to come back better in the next season.

Time for some interviews...

In their batting effort, Punjab lost Prabhsimran Singh in the first over itself but Shikhar Dhawan and Atharva Taide gave the hosts a decent start. However, the wickets fell in a hurry and they suddenly found themselves 50 for the loss of four wickets. 40-plus scores by Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma, and Shahrukh Khan helped them post a decent total on the board as they managed to get close to the 190-run mark. Navdeep Saini claimed three wickets for the visitors with Trent Boult and Adam Zampa chipping in with one each. They would have liked to be more disciplined in the death overs as they conceded 46 runs in the last two overs and it could have proved to be quite costly for them but their batters did the job in the end.

The hosts opted to open with Sam Curran who did not get his team off to the best of starts but Kagiso Rabada looked at his fiery best taking an important early wicket of Jos Buttler. The rest of the bowlers lacked penetration and a 73-run partnership for the second wicket had them on the back foot. Wickets in consecutive overs by Arshdeep Singh and Rahul Chahar got Punjab back into the game, and when Nathan Ellis dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal they would have hoped to register a consolation win. Kagiso Rabada got his second wicket and Sam Curran chipped in with another in the last few overs but they never looked to be on top of their opponents on this wicket as they suffered their eighth loss of the season.

Yashasvi Jaiswal started the run-chase with 12 runs in the first over but his opening partner Jos Buttler was dismissed in the next over on a duck which was his fifth this edition. The Orange Cap holder from the last edition has been dismissed on zero in the last three innings and now has an unwanted record for the most ducks in one season in the history of the Indian T20 League. Half-centuries from Devdutt Padikkal and Yashasvi Jaiswal kept them ahead of the required run rate and well in the hunt to clinch a win. They kept losing wickets at crucial junctures though and the pressure kept building towards the end. It came down to Shimron Hetmyer doing what he does best as he played a remarkable knock scoring 46 in just 28 deliveries and got them close to the finish line.

Dhruv Jurel does it for Rajasthan! He keeps his cool and helps his side keep themselves in contention for the playoff spots as they move to fifth on the table with this four-wicket win. They will now be hoping for the remaining results to go in their favour and for Bangalore to not only lose but also drop their net run rate. Punjab could not end their campaign on a high and will be disappointed with the way their season fell through after a good start. They will want to regroup and come back stronger in the next season as hunt for their maiden title once again.

SIX! BANG! Dhruv Jurel takes Rajasthan home and does it in style! Full on the middle and leg. Jurel advances down the track and smokes it down the ground over the long on boundary for a maximum. Rajasthan win by 4 wickets!

Full at the stumps. Trent Boult whips it nicely to deep mid-wicket for one.

Full around off. Dhruv Jurel shimmies down and lifts it on a bounce to Sam Curran at long off for a single.

Fraction short on the middle and leg. Dhruv Jurel works it through the square leg region and scampers through for the second.

On a good length and just outside off. Trent Boult clears his front leg and swats it toward the deep mid-wicket fielder. The batters do not take the single and Rajasthan need 9 off the final over.

Trent Boult is the new batter at the crease.