The Royals won by 72 runs thanks to fifty-plus scores from Samson and Jaiswal and a four-wicket total from Chahal.
Rajasthan Royals defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad 131 for 8 (Samad 32, Chahal 4-17, Boult 2-21) by 72 runs with a final score of 203 for 5 (Samson 55, Buttler 54, and Jaiswal 54).
Jos Buttler and Co. Crush Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2023 Opener
They controlled the first ten overs of Rajasthan Royals’ batting session, as they quickly reached 122 for one. They also influenced the first part of their bowling session, bringing Sunrisers Hyderabad down to 52 for 6 in just 11 overs.
The two phases of play were crucial, and they helped the runners-up from the previous season win by 72 runs to begin their 2023 season.
From the game’s first over, it was all Royals. Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Sanju Samson, the team’s top three, smashed half-centuries to give their team an unprecedented start: Royals posted their best powerplay total (85) and their quickest hundred in the IPL. (in 7.4 overs). The Royals recorded the first 200-plus score of the season despite their middle and lower orders struggling. It was made possible by the brutal slugging at the top.
A formidable Royals assault made the goal of 204 seem impossible, and Trent Boult ended any chance of a successful pursuit by starting with a double-wicket maiden. Yuzvendra Chahal’s four-wicket total then destroyed the Sunrisers. The Sunrisers’ net run rate suffered due to the loss’s score, similar to how the 2022 season started.
Buttler has a strong start.
Jaiswal’s lightning-quick start set the tone for what would come as he raced to 24 runs off just 11 balls. Buttler stole the show, unleashing a barrage of boundaries that left the opposition reeling. With successive sixes over midwicket and four fours in five balls, Buttler quickly raised his fifty off just 20 balls. Despite Buttler’s eventual dismissal, the Royals’ strong start had already laid a solid foundation, with the team sitting at 85 for 1 in just 5.5 overs. With Jaiswal gone, Samson’s turn was to step up and keep the momentum going. He and Jaiswal had built a robust platform, but Samson seized the opportunity, settling in and punishing the bowlers with his aggressive stroke play.
Despite some impressive spells in the middle overs from Rashid, Natarajan, and Farooqi, the Royals’ batters continued to pile on the runs. As the innings wore on, they might fall short of the 200-run mark. However, a late cameo from Shimron Hetmyer gave them the impetus they needed, pushing the score to an impressive 203. With so many runs on the board, the Royals’ bowlers had a challenging task ahead of them, but they had every reason to feel confident after such a dominant display with the bat.
Sunrisers lose speed quickly while pursuing.
The Mumbai Indians started their IPL campaign with a bang as Trent Boult’s opening over set the tone for their dominance. The Sunrisers Hyderabad is top order crumbled under pressure, with Abhishek and Rahul Tripathi dismissed for ducks. Harry Brook and Mayank Agarwal were left with the Herculean task of rebuilding the innings while facing a mounting asking rate. However, their efforts were in vain as Brook was bowled by a Chahal googly, leaving him with a meager 13 runs in his maiden IPL innings.
The Hyderabad team struggled to regain momentum as Jason Holder dismissed Washington cheaply, and Glenn Phillips hit R Ashwin straight to cover. Chahal was not done yet, returning to cut short Agarwal’s innings before having fellow leg-spinner Rashid stumped. Bhuvneshwar played all around a googly, leaving Sunrisers at 95 for 8. However, Abdul Samad’s unbeaten 32 helped them limp past 100, but it was not enough to compete with Mumbai’s batting prowess. The Mumbai Indians demonstrated their superiority with a formidable performance, sending a clear message to the rest of the teams in the league.
Influential Players: Saini and Samad
The two teams, Sunrisers and Royals, had an exciting day with their respective Impact Players. Abdul Samad, the Impact Player for the Sunrisers Hyderabad, proved crucial in their batting line-up. With his team struggling at 48 for 5, Samad came in to bat as a replacement for Farooqi. He showed great maturity in his innings and played carefully while the wickets kept falling at the other end. Although he reined in his shot-making instincts for the most part, he still scored an unbeaten 32 and helped his team reach a respectable total of 131 for 8.
On the other hand, Navdeep Saini, the Impact Player for the Royals, had a forgettable day out. He came in as a replacement for Jaiswal midway through the Sunrisers’ chase and struggled to contain the opposition batters. Saini bowled only three dots in his two-over spell and conceded 34 runs at an economy rate of 17. His performance was a big letdown for his team, who were already struggling to defend a modest total. It was clear that Saini had an off day, and the Royals would hope for a better performance in their next game.
