"we didn't have a great start," says Kumar Sangakkara. "Darren, Mishy, Steyn, Ashish Reddy batted really well. It was a good total, but the magnificent innings from Watson did it for them. The legspinners have been two of our best bowlers. They have bowled brilliantly throughout the tourament."

"In the end, we got the job done," says Rahul Dravid. "It was disappointing we let them get 144, but at the back end we were really good. I think Shane was exceptional. It's great to have him in the side. Both he and Jimmy were exceptional. We didn't execute well with the ball well in the end. We haven't done that for a few games."

"A good game," says James Faulkner, the Man of the Match. "Good to be on the winning side. Reasonably good control tonight, but a couple of balls didn't come out right. Our wickets have got a bit in them early on. I thought we batted very well tonight."

Watson punches the air. Falls two short of what could have been a successive century. Never mind that, though. He has sealed a win with a sizzling innings. Makes sure James Faulkner's five-for doesn't go down in a losing cause. This was a superb come back from Sunrisers after being 19 for 5, thanks to some filthy bowling by Rajasthan in the end. That total of 144 on a seaming pitch with Steyn in the line-up made Sunrisers the favourites, but Dravid and Watson weathered the storm, and Watson charged away in the end. Sample this: Binny and Watson added 65, but Binny scored only nine of those. And Watson went from 53 to 98 not out in 14 balls. Royals and Sunrisers now tied at 10 points and the third place in the table. Royals, though, have a game in hand

17.5

Karn to Watson, FOUR runs

Watson gets the short ball, he can hit this for a six, but this is not that short, and he doesn't get all on the pull. He has placed this to the left of Steyn at deep midwicket, though. Steyn goes flying again, but can;t prevent the four

Three to win, six for the hundred

17.4

Karn to Watson, FOUR runs

short again, pulled to the right of deep midwicket for four. Steyn makes another desperate effort in vain

17.3

Karn to Watson, SIX runs

Steyn makes a desperate effort at deep midwicket, but can't hold on. Don't bowl short to Watson. He pulls it, Steyn goes flying at deep midwicket, gets a hand to this, but it still lands on the rope. Steyn signals a six

17.2

Karn to Binny, 1 run

short of a length, on off, punched to long-on for one

17.1

Karn to Watson, 1 run

shortish, pulled to long-on for one

Srini: ""Rajasthan Royals Edge Sun Risers Hyderabad" is my six word description of this match."

Karan Sharma back into the attack. Last throw of the dice?

end of over 176 runs

RR: 130/2CRR: 7.64 • RRR: 5.00

Stuart Binny8 (9b 1x4)

Shane Watson83 (49b 11x4 3x6)

Dale Steyn 4-1-15-1

Thisara Perera 4-0-34-1

16.6

•

Steyn to Binny, no run

driven on the up, but straight to mid-off. Steyn has bowled out now

"Must correct you on one point. Watson's second four off Ishant wasn't an edge. He deliberately opened the face on the yorker and guided it wide of the keeper. Brilliantly played." David, I know the TV commentators said the same, but you really must watch the replay. The face was dead straight

16.5

Steyn to Watson, 1 run

short and wide, cut away powerfully, but finds deep cover

16.4

•

Steyn to Watson, no run

short of a length, gets a bit big on him, hits him on the thigh pad

16.3

Steyn to Binny, 1 run

short now, Bin y ramps it over slip, but the third man is fine enough to keep them down to one

16.2

•

Steyn to Binny, no run

edged towards slip again, this bounces short of Sammy, but he has his body right behind the ball

Sammy, at slip, is holding onto his calf

16.1

Steyn to Binny, FOUR runs

no edge is going to hand. Begins with an outswinger, gets an edge, and even though there is a wide slip in place, this one goes wider

Another contest is on now. Rajasthan Royals need 21, and Watson needs 18 to score a hundred. With Binny taking the singles well, it is doable

Steyn is back now

end of over 1615 runs

RR: 124/2CRR: 7.75 • RRR: 5.25

Shane Watson82 (47b 11x4 3x6)

Stuart Binny3 (5b)

Thisara Perera 4-0-34-1

Ishant Sharma 3-0-35-0

Time for a timeout now. These two overs have changed the game, but you have to wonder if this game would still have been on had Watson not got those two boundaries off outside edges at the start of Ishant's over

15.6

Perera to Watson, FOUR runs

full and wide, and this one is deliberate. Smartly played. Comes down on it with an open face, and guides it wide of Sanga and fine of third man

15.5

Perera to Watson, FOUR runs

slower ball, but a wide length ball, and Watson does well to go over cover and not straight down the ground. This mis-hit finds the gap, and gets them four more

15.4

•

Perera to Watson, no run

length ball. Watson imagines another six. Drives hard at this, but is beaten by the away movement

15.3

Perera to Watson, SIX runs

he has murdered this for a parallel six. Perera doesn't have the pace to be bowling in his own half. He takes this from outside off, and clobbers it over midwicket

15.2

Perera to Binny, 1 run

steered away to third man for a single. Over to Watson

15.1

•

Perera to Binny, no run

Perera bowls a ripper. This one kicks away from short of a length, and rises chest high to beat his fend

end of over 1520 runs

RR: 109/2CRR: 7.26 • RRR: 7.20

Shane Watson68 (43b 9x4 2x6)

Stuart Binny2 (3b)

Ishant Sharma 3-0-35-0

Daren Sammy 3-0-17-0

14.6

Sharma to Watson, SIX runs

evades the flying Dhawan at long-on. Is this the over that has changed the match, and as it too often happens in this format, based purely on luck? Watson pulls, mis-hits, and sends it down the ground. Looks like Dhawan will catch it at long-on. He sets himself up for it, at the edge of the field, but it clears him

14.5

Sharma to Watson, FOUR runs

nicely played. Quick hands. Short, stays low, but Watson is quick to swivel and pull it through square leg for four. On the pads too. First bad ball of the over, and he has gone for 14 already

14.4

Sharma to Binny, 1 run

short of a length, outside off, steered away to third man for one

Slip comes in for Binny

Win Probability

RR 100%

SRHRR

100%50%100%

Over 18 • RR 146/2

RR won by 8 wickets (with 13 balls remaining)

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