IPL 2022 | Samson leads Rajasthan Royals to big IPL win over Sunrisers Hyderabad
Captain Sanju Samson led from the front with a blistering 55 as Rajasthan Royals opened their IPL campaign with a 61-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad
AFP
March 30, 2022 / 02:27 PM IST
Captain Sanju Samson led from the front with a blistering 55 as Rajasthan Royals opened their season campaign in the IPL with an emphatic 61-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 29. The 15th edition of the IPL, the world's most valuable cricket tournament, has expanded to 10 teams and 74 matches but league games have been restricted to just two cities— Pune and Mumbai—and crowds are limited due to coronavirus-related restrictions. (Image: IPL)
The captain, playing his 100th match for Royals who won the inaugural Indian Premier League edition under late Australian star Shane Warne in 2008, guided his team to 210 for six in Pune. (Image: IPL)
Rajasthan's bowlers led by Prasidh Krishna, who rattled the top-order and dismissed skipper Kane Williamson for two, restricted Hyderabad to 149-7 despite an unbeaten 57 by Aiden Markram. (Image: IPL)
Leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal claimed three wickets to take his T20 count to 250 and pace bowler Trent bowler took two wickets. (Image: IPL)
Samson, the wicketkeeper-batter, was the hero of the day as he smashed three fours and five sixes in his 27-ball blitz and put on a key stand of 73 with Devdutt Padikkal, who made 41. (Image: IPL)
West Indies left-hand batter Shimron Hetmyer hit 32 off 13 balls and recorded two sixes to take the Royals' total past 200 after they were put into bat first. (Image: IPL)
Hyderabad's Umran Malik clocked speeds of over 148 kmph (92 mph) and claimed two wickets, including that of English opener Jos Buttler, who survived a few reprieves including a caught behind on a no-ball in the opening over, for 35. (Image: IPL)
Williamson's dismissal though raised eyebrows after he was ruled out, caught at first slip when the ball seemed to touch the grass before it went into the hands of a diving Devdutt Padikkal who took a rebound off Samson's gloves. The TV umpire ruled in the bowler's favour but Hyderabad coach Tom Moody said, "We were very surprised that he was given out, particularly when we saw the replay." (Image: IPL)
