Yashasvi Jaiswal was the star of Rajasthan Royals (RR) commanding win over the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Thursday, May 11 in the ongoing IPL 2023, as they registered a 9-wicket win at the Eden Gardens.
KKR had batted first and posted 149/8 thanks to Venkatesh Iyer’s 57 while Yuzvendra Chahal starred with the ball with 4/25 in his four overs during which became the highest wicket-taker in IPL history.
In response, though Jos Buttler got out for a duck, the young opener Jaiswal struck a scintillating 98 not out off just 47 deliveries hitting 5 sixes and 12 fours. Samson made 48* in 29 balls with 5 sixes and 2 fours.
Jaiswal broke the record for the fastest half-century (13 balls) in the history of the IPL during his breathtaking knock and added an unbroken 121-run stand with skipper Sanju Samson, as the pair helped Rajasthan chase the 150-run target set by Kolkata down with nine wickets and 41 deliveries to spare.
At the post-match presentation, Jaiswal said: “This is always in my mind, to go out there and play well. It was a nice feeling today. It is not like everything I wanted happens, I prepare well and I trust myself. I know the results will come.
The winning shot was a great feeling, I wanted to finish the game, and winning the game has been my motto. I’m blessed and grateful, I’m trying my best. I think the run rate was the only thing in our mind, me and Sanju bhai were only talking about finishing the game quickly.”
“I think it happens in the game, it gives me the responsibility to do even better. And Sanju bhai came and said ‘keep playing my game, and not think about that run out’,” Player of the Match Jaiswal said on the run-out of his opening partner Jos Buttler.
RR will next face RCB in a day match on May 14 in Jaipur.
(PTI inputs)
