and Curran uses all the experience. Makes room, goes with the turn, clears cover. Four. It is all over. The highest IPL run chase is up, and despite an innings that made you want to call the guy back. What a story this game is. Don't tell me to not get carried away
Royals won by 4 wickets (with 3 balls remaining)
Thanks for joining us for this lovely lovely game of cricket. We hope you enjoyed this as much as we did. We will analyse the nuts and bolts once the adrenalin comes down. Right now, bathe yourself in the glory of sport and of life. Celebrate that there is redemption around the corner. Not all the time, not for everybody. But it is there. On that note, good night
Sanju Samson, the Man of the Match: "I have been hitting well from the last on year. I have been in the right frame of mind. Don't see a change in my game. First of all I was fed up with myself. I was trying hard but things were not happening. Then I worked hard. I asked myself what do I need to achieve? I told myself I have 10 years of this wonderful game in me, and I have to give everything to these 10 years. My family is supportive of that. The power comes from genes. My father is a very powerful man."
Steven Smith: "That was something else, wasn't it? Gnenrally it gets wetter so I thought we were in with a chance at the halfway mark. A lot of sixes hit here. We gave ourselves the chance. Yeah good to get over the line. Gee, Sanju is striking the ball cleanly all over the ground. Taking pressure off everyone. We will have to adapt to the bigger grounds, but these shots would clear everywhere. What we have seen from Tewatia in the nets is what we saw in that Cottrell over. I told someone as along as he gets one, floodgates will open. He showed heart. He told me during the timeout we still believe, Three sixes of Shami, three off Cottrell. Jofra again. First four balls sixes the other night. First two tonight. The bowlers did a great job. Looked like we would be chasing 250."
Let me tell you a story from a Stephen Fleming interview. I told him you should look to pull guys back if they are unable to hit. He didn't like the idea. He said the struggle is the beauty of the game. His exact words: "That's the beauty of it, isn't it? Not let someone get away with it just because they can tap out. 'Not my day today, I am out.'" What words. You have to really love this sport to think like that when you are under so much pressure to win. Guess what, Rahul Tewatia didn't tap out. For all the frustrations of watching Jadeja get stuck in quick sand, and Yuvraj and Vijay Shankar, perhaps it is true that you just don't tap out
Rahul Tewatia: Now I am better. The worst 20 balls I have ever played. After that I began to hit so I kept going. The dugout knows I can hit the ball long. I knew I had to believe in myself. It was a matter of one six. Five in the over, that is amazing. I tried to hit the legspinner, but unfortunately I couldn't. So I had to hit other bowlers."
KL Rahul: "Look that is T20 cricket. We have seen this a lot of time. we need to keep our chin up. We did a lot of things right, but you have to give it to them. The game keeps you humble all the time. Under pressure, bowlers can make mistakes. We need to come back stronger. I back my bowlers to do the job. It is okay to have one bad game. Good that it happened early in the tournament. We can come back stronger. Small ground, the total doesn't really matter. Bowlers are going for runs in the back end."
Now we can breathe. Tewatia is knocking fists with others here. Don't tell to me not get carried away. This is among the greatest days of commentary I have been through. If you have ever backed an underdog, if you have ever felt awful for a guy giving it his best and not getting anywhere, if you have ever been in that situation yourself, this day is such sweet joy
This is not over yet. Tom Curran and Jofra Archer. two internationals. They need to use their composure and experience to take the ship home. The coast is within touching diatcne
oh he sweeps. Ashwin slips in the googly after showing him the gap square on the leg side. Had to take the risk. Parag bit the bait. Bowled neck and crop
Riyan Parag, finish this off now. Long-on and long-off are back. Push a single to them. Let Jofra take you home
full, dipping, dug out
Last over. two to get. M Ashwin to bowl. Slip in place
oh man, the greatest 40 minutes of commentary have come to an end. Tewatia has found deep midwicket with the pull, but he has made sure they win the match. Fifty-three off 31 after everybody wanted him thrown into the Gulf. Take a bloody bow, sir. You are a beautiful beautiful player. Storytellers kill for guys like you
oh he has reached fifty. Minutes ago, they were all asking for a compassion dismissal for him. This, right here, is the importance of keeping on fighting. Keep kicking. Short ball, outside off, and he has upper-cut it for a six. Well played, RT
Can do it in singles now. Last 10 balls: 43 runs, one wicket. Rahul Tewatia, you beautiful beautiful cricketer
goes for the yorker, dug out for a single to deep point
golf swing. This is a great day at the cricket. Nine off nine now. Amid this euphoria, this is pretty abysmal death bowling, I am sorry. Length ball, in the slot, on pace, and Archer ain't no Uthappa to be chipping it sweetly
which is just as well because Archer has hit the first ball for six. Short ball, on pace, and Archer loves him some on-pace short bowling. Over wicket for six
Come on Rahul Tewatia. You have taken us on a roller-coaster. Now finish it off. Hang on, boys and girls and others. They have promoted Archer now. Uthappa didn't even hand over the strike
what a weak shot from Uthappa. Can you believe he has holed out to long-off at Sharjah to a ball right in his slot? This is just a chip. Need to be going harder at them. That is a poor shot. This ball is right in the sweet slot
Shami is back
Cricket, lovely cricket. That is all I can say right now
wow Rahul bloody Tewatia. This is a story for the ages, son. What redemption. Now Uthappa has to give him strike. He has smacked a wide length ball over midwicket for another six. Now only 21 required in two overs
goes for the fifth. Slower length ball wide outside off, and he goes across the lines. Beaten
Oh the joy of struggle and redemption. How fortunate to be calling this
well, Rahul, what a player. You are a champion. You have fought through the worst of times. Give yourself something to celebrate. Gees across, shuffles early gets a wide low full toss, and sweeps it over midwicket for another flat six
And now KXIP are having conferences
make it three times. Sing your redemption songs. Cottrell pitches up, and he goes over wide long-off. Strike rate of 135 now. Game is on
whoa whoa whoa cricket you beauty. You keep fighting, the tide can turn. He gets a short of a length ball, stands his ground and swings to leg. Not off the absolute middle of the bat but enough to clear the short square boundary and onto the road
it is a small six but it is a six nonetheless. Hang in there, Rahul. Keep swinging. Cottrell follows him with a bouncer, but he manages to get inside the line to pull him flat over long leg
17 an over. You still won't rule a side out in Sharjah with dew around. Rahul you still have a chance to turn this around. Come on, turn this into a fairytale of redemption
mid-off is up and Uthappa goes over the man to get four more as Shami pitches on a length
gets inside the line of a full toss, flicks it fine, Ashwin makes a dive at fine leg, and gets a bad bounce to allow the boundary
bouncer, toe-ended to extra cover. Still not getting caught
slogged across the line, no timing, gets just the couple
Arun: "Hey stop blaming Tewatia! There are more Tewatias in real life than Samsons. "
full and straight, looks for a couple with soft hands, but deep midwicket is alert to it
Uthappa comes in. Too late, surely?
1W | ||||
1W |
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
Sharjah Cricket Stadium | |
Toss | Rajasthan Royals, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2020/21 |
Player Of The Match | |
Hours of play (local time) | 18.00 start, First Session 18.00-19.30, Interval 19.30-19.50, Second Session 19.50- 21.20 |
Match days | 27 September 2020 - night (20-over match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee | |
Points | Rajasthan Royals 2, Kings XI Punjab 0 |
Over 20 • RR 226/6