Keshav Maharaj helps restrict muted Punjab to 147

Excellent bowling and fielding plus some poor batting enabled the Rajasthan Royals to restrict the Punjab Kings to their lowest total of the competition, 147 for eight, in their Tata IPL match at the Maharaja Yadavindra Stadium in Mullanpur on Saturday.

Even that total would not have been reached without a hard-hitting 31 in 16 balls from Punjab’s impact player, Ashutosh Sharma, who came in with the total on 103 for six in the 17th over and hit three sixes and a four in his innings.

For the most part, however, this was a muted performance from the Punjab batters with Jonny Bairstow at the top of the order struggling to 15 from 19 balls before mistiming Keshav Maharaj to extra-cover.

Maharaj, playing in his second game for the Royals, had an excellent outing, claiming the wickets of Bairstow and Sam Curran at a cost of only 23 runs in his four overs.

The high-profile pair were his first scalps in the competition. His spin partner, legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal, also bowled well, taking 1-31.

Dhruv Jurel had a good day in the field, claiming three catches in the outfield to ambitious shots played into the strong wind.

Jitesh Sharma, Liam Livingstone and finally Ashutosh Sharma helped the home team to something of a recovery with only four boundaries struck in the first half of the innings. A total of 44 came off the last four overs which gives Punjab something, at least, to bowl at.

Source: eNCA

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