At Jaipur yesterday, it looked tricky for playoffs hopefuls Punjab Kings who lost 3 wickets for 34 runs after opting to bat first.
Rajasthan Royals looked set to upset Punjab Kings from qualifying nto the playoffs, with clusters of wickets falling at the top.
In that debacle one of India’s key players Shreyas Iyer, known for his resilience with the bat, had other ideas. Ayer rose to the situation in a truly Cometh the Hour, Cometh the Man arrival to combining with Nihal
Wedhara adding 101 runs by the 11th over when Iyer departed for 30 runs, almost isolating his partner Nehal Wedhara.
Wedhara was to later tell the media that Shreyas Iyer told him not to worry about wickets falling around him but to play positive cricket, which he did. He made 70 and was out with PBKS still in the woods in the 16th over with the score on 159.
The late order burst from Shanshak Sing, who made a face saving 59, helped PBKS to stitch a competitive score of 219 for 5 wickets on an excellent batting pitch.
None of the Rajasthan Royals deserve a mention except Despande, who scalped 2 for 37, whilst the rest, including Wanindu Hasaranga, were taken to the cleaners leaking 33 runs and wicketless in 3 overs.
220 at Jaipur is defendable, but Rajasthan Royals, with a freedom of see ball hit ball mindset, fell short by only 10 runs.
It was great to eyeball Jaiswal and 14 year old Suriyavanshi stitch a 76-run partnership for the first wicket. The run statistics kept climbing ahead of the PBKS line whilst these two openers made hay on the placid pitch.
Jaiswal made 50 young sensation 14 year old Suriyavanshie made 40 whilst Juriel made a constructive effort to upset the PBKS apple cart when he made 53 , however, his departure spelt the writing on the wall that PBKS was in with a chance to qualify for the playoffs .
Rajasthan Royals made 209 for 7 wickets and, frankly, the pendulum swung at Notts.
Marco Jansen 2 for 41 , Hrpret Baar 3 for 22 and Omarzai 2 for 44 looked in great nick for the winners.
Next script, coming up, the 10 wicket thumping of Delhi Capitals by playoffs qualifiers Gujarat Titans.