Jos Buttler slammed the third T20 hundred of his career to guide Rajasthan Royals (RR) to the top of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 table. Match 9 of the tournament, at D.Y. Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, saw Mumbai Indians (MI) slump to a 23-run defeat as the five-time IPL champion eye their maiden win this season.
Having started his IPL journey with the MI blues, Buttler now averages 80 against them, striking at over 161.
ALSO READ: Umesh, Russell win it for KKR
The MI chase looked in control when Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma took on the RR bowlers for a sizeable part of their innings. But R. Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal brought RR back into the contest by picking three key MI wickets in the span of seven balls.
Reversing the tournament trend, RR have now won both their matches despite losing the toss and batting first. No other side has batted first and won so far.
Rajasthan Royals 193/8 in 20 overs
MI won the toss and put RR in. The MI bowlers won the Powerplay, sending Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal back early. However, Basil Thampi’s first over in the match cost them 26 runs.
Buttler then found support in Sanju Samson (30 off 21). Together, they put up 82 in just 50 balls before Kieron Pollard got Samson. Shimron Hetmyer (35 off 14) continued his power-hitting form and plundered 26 off Pollard’s last over.
ALSO READ: LSG thrash CSK to open IPL account
RR looked set to get a total over 200, but Jasprit Bumrah (4-0-17-3) made the difference in the 19th over of the innings. Hetmyer miscued a full toss, and Buttler was undone was a toe-crushing yorker. Ashwin was run out off the first ball he played. Tymal Mills also got two off the final over, finishing with 4-0-35-3.
Buttler’s 68-ball 100 is his second century in IPL as well as the first by anyone of the 2022 edition. All his three T20 centuries have come within the past 12 months.
Mumbai Indians 170/8 in 20 overs
Rohit Sharma fell in the second over to Prasidh Krishna, while Navdeep Saini dismissed Anmolpreet Singh. Despite that, MI got off to a brisk start, courtesy Kishan. Varma, who showed great promise on IPL debut last week, joined fellow left-hander Kishan. Only 19, he top-scored for MI, slamming a 33-ball 61 including five sixes. He and Kishan added 81 off 54 balls.
Trent Boult then struck with his former MI teammate Kishan’s wicket just when Mumbai seemed to be in control. Ashwin and Chahal then brought the Royals back into the contest. Varma reverse-swept Ashwin for six, but Ashwin had his revenge, bowling a slow off break to clean up the teenager. Chahal sent back the dangerous Tim David and Daniel Sams off consecutive balls, but Karun Nair dropped M. Ashwin at first slip to deny him a hat-trick.
As the required run rate mounted, MI’s hopes remained pinned on Pollard, whose outing at the crease was no less than a struggle. He got out for 22 off the last ball of the match, having faced 24 balls.
The defeat took MI to the ninth spot in the points table.
Brief scores:
Rajasthan Royals 193/8 in 20 overs (Jos Buttler 100; Jasprit Bumrah 3-17) beat Mumbai Indians 170/8 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 61; Yuzvendra Chahal 2-26) by 23 runs. Player of the Match: Jos Buttler.