Suryavanshi helps Rajasthan end IPL campaign with victory
Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals are competing for final play-off spot
NEW DELHI: Teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi hit a half-century as Rajasthan Royals ended their IPL season with a consolation six-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings on Tuesday. The 14-year-old Suryavanshi, who made waves after he struck a record 35-ball century last month, hit 57 off 33 balls as Rajasthan chased down 188 with 17 balls to spare in New Delhi.
Suryavanshi, who announced himself on the IPL stage in emphatic style by launching his first ball in the competition for six, set up the chase in his knock laced with four fours and fours sixes.
'I don't have words for Vaibhav, he can hit a slower ball over cover,' Rajasthan skipper Sanju Samson said. 'Today when the middle overs were going on, he was going with his job very smartly. He has game awareness at such a young age.'
Dhruv Jurel sealed the win with his unbeaten 31 off 12 balls. Both teams had already bowed out of the play-off race but Rajasthan stay above bottom-placed Chennai in the 10-team table with four wins in 14 matches.
Five-time champions Chennai, led by 43-year-old M.S. Dhoni, have one more match to go in the league phase. Leaders Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings have all qualified for the playoffs. Five-time winners Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals are competing for the final play-off spot.
Chennai had their chances including when veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin struck in the space of five balls to send back Samson (41) and Suryavanshi.
Jurel soon eased the pressure with boundaries in the next over and despite the loss of another wicket in Riyan Parag, Rajasthan raced to victory.
Jurel hit the winning six with Shimron Hetmyer at the other end on 12. Yashasvi Jaiswal contributed with 36 off 19 balls in a brisk opening stand of 37 with Suryavanshi.
Impressive Mhatre
Chennai recovered to reach 187-8 after they slipped to 78-5 inside eight overs, batting first on a hot and humid evening in the Indian capital.
'If you look at the amount of runs we had put on the board, it was very good,' said Dhoni. 'But you got to see the wickets column as it puts pressure on the lower-middle order that you might not bat 20 overs.' Teenage opener Ayush Mhatre lifted the team after two early wickets with his 20-ball 43 before his dismissal triggered a mini-collapse.
The 17-year-old Mhatre, who has impressed in his debut year with a top score of 94, hit eight fours and one six before falling to medium-pace bowler Tushar Deshpande. Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga took down Ashwin and seam bowler Yudhvir Singh struck for the third time to remove Ravindra Jadeja as Chennai lost half their side in 7.4 overs.
South African batter Dewald Brevis made 42 and rebuilt the innings in a 59-run stand with Shivam Dube (39). Rajasthan's bowlers pulled things back in the end as they gave away just 17 runs from the last three overs.
Seam bowler Akash Madhwal returned figures of 3-29 to be named player of the match. The IPL resumed last Saturday after being paused due to a deadly conflict between India and Pakistan, forcing a revised schedule with the final now on June 3 in Ahmedabad. — AFP
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