Buttler ton, Chahal hat-trick give RR 7-run victory over Kolkata

Mumbai, April 18

Jos Buttler’s magnificent second IPL hundred was complemented by a ‘five-star’ Yuzvendra Chahal, who spun his web with a hat-trick, as Rajasthan Royals won a high-scoring thriller against Kolkata Knight Riders by seven runs.

Rajasthan’s Jos Buttler slammed a spectacular 61-ball 103. PTI

It was important to be calm and believe in ourselves. Halfway, I thought it was chaseable. They played very well and did not give chances. But the wickets helped. Chahal and Buttler’s performances were there for the world to seeRs. Sanju Samson , RR Skipper

Buttler’s 61-ball 103 had nine fours and five sixes as Royals scored an imposing 217/5 but KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer (85 of 51 balls) made a match of it in company of Aaron Finch (58 off 28 balls).

However, Chahal turned the match around in the 17th over. He removed Venkatesh Iyer off his first delivery and then Shreyas, Shivam Mavi and Pat Cummins off the fourth, fifth and sixth balls to get a hat-trick. From 178/4, it became 180/8 for KKR.

Umesh Yadav hit two sixes and a four off Trent Boult’s 18th over to bring the equation down to 18 from the last two overs.

With 11 required off the last six balls, West Indies left-arm pacer Obed McCoy kept his cool to get Sheldon Jackson and Umesh to bring cheers to the Royals camp.

Brief Scores: Rajasthan Royals: 217/5 in 20 overs (Buttler 103, Narine 2/21); Kolkata Knight Riders: 210 all out in 19.4 overs (Iyer 85; Chahal 5/40). — PTI

Marsh isolated, DC have four cases

Mumbai: Delhi Capitals’ Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh will be out of action for at least 10 days as a day of intense drama saw him return positive for Covid-19 in a second RT-PCR test along with two support staff members, taking the total number of cases to four. It couldn’t be independently confirmed if Marsh has been hospitalised or not. The other two who have tested positive are team doctor Abhijit Salvi and the team masseur. The RT-PCR reports of all other players have returned negative.