Rajasthan Royals (RR) batsmen demolished Chennai Super Kings (CSK) bowling attack in Match 4 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 on Tuesday. Batting first at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, RR posted 216/7 in their allotted 20 overs.
Royals wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson was the chief architect behind the massive total. He just took 19 balls to reach his fastest half-century in IPL including six gigantic sixes and a single four.
Samson’s previous best was a 24-ball fifty while playing for Delhi Capitals (DC) against the Gujarat Lions (GL) in 2017. It was the joint-second fastest half-century for the Royals after Jos Buttler’s 18-ball effort against Capitals last season. Back in 2012, Owais Shah had also hit a 19-ball 50 for RR against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
Samson scored a 32-ball 74 before Lungi Ngidi dismissed him in the 12th over of the match.
Apart from Samson, RR skipper Steve Smith (69) and later in the stage Englishman Jofra Archer (27 not out) played their parts to take the score past 200.
Smith held one end and took the game deep before Sam Curran removed him in the 19th over. After 19, Royals were 186/7.
The final over bowled by Ngidi came as a blessing for the ‘Men in Pink’ as Archer smashed four sixes and collected 30 runs from it.
Highest totals for RR in IPL:
- 223/5 vs CSK, in 2010
- 217/4 vs RCB in 2018
- 217/7 vs Deccan Chargers in 2008
- 216/7 vs CSK in 2020*
Here is how Twitter reacted:
IN 19 BALLS!!!!! 😍🔥#RRvCSK | #HallaBol | #RoyalsFamily | @IamSanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/KU1qkV6Bir
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) September 22, 2020
Clean striking by @IamSanjuSamson. They were all proper cricketing shots and not slogs. Smartly bowled by @NgidiLungi. Short,wide and slow. #CSKvsRR
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) September 22, 2020
All bowlers today shall be like…
"Mujhe baksh do!" #RRvCSK
— Vinod Kambli (@vinodkambli349) September 22, 2020
.@IamSanjuSamson is a special player. The way he has been batting, he deserves a place in the playing eleven for the National Team. Especially looking at the #T20 World Cup next year in India.#ProGyaan #IPL #IPL2020 #RRvCSK
— Pragyan Ojha (@pragyanojha) September 22, 2020
Sanju Samson is not just the best wicketkeeper batsmen in India but the best young batsman in India!
Anyone up for debate?— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) September 22, 2020
WHOA !!! Sanju Samson in some murderous mood. Taking on the CSK attack heads on. Brilliant array of strokes. Sheer delight to watch. Are #CSK missing a proper sixth bowling option ? #RRvCSK
— Stay Home – Stay Safe – Get Vaccinated 🙏 (@hemangkbadani) September 22, 2020
WHOA !!! Sanju Samson in some murderous mood. Taking on the CSK attack heads on. Brilliant array of strokes. Sheer delight to watch. Are #CSK missing a proper sixth bowling option ? #RRvCSK
— Stay Home – Stay Safe – Get Vaccinated 🙏 (@hemangkbadani) September 22, 2020
WHOA !!! Sanju Samson in some murderous mood. Taking on the CSK attack heads on. Brilliant array of strokes. Sheer delight to watch. Are #CSK missing a proper sixth bowling option ? #RRvCSK
— Stay Home – Stay Safe – Get Vaccinated 🙏 (@hemangkbadani) September 22, 2020
Sanju Samson is the only Indian player to hit 9+ Sixes twice in an IPL innings.
10 Sixes vs RCB in 2018
9 Sixes vs CSK today— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) September 22, 2020
Rishabh Pant after watching Sanju Samson's inning pic.twitter.com/6631m0IR78
— Pratyush (@pratyushmanutd) September 22, 2020
CSK : we have best bowling lineup
Sanju samson : wait hold my beer #CSKvsRR pic.twitter.com/TKViMG7KIy
— Dude_dheeraj 🇮🇳 (@Memesarcastic1) September 22, 2020
https://twitter.com/meme_ki_diwani/status/1308415951860379649
Sanju Samson right now #CSKvsRR pic.twitter.com/f16VKQwE9M
— Bala (@flybalafly) September 22, 2020
https://twitter.com/SharmaJi720/status/1308418065516965888
Sanju Samson is not playing a blinder, this is serious, serious, serious and class batting.
Can't wait to see how MS counters this.
Exceptional fifty, what a start!@IamSanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/GAqMBBtEl4
— ABHINAV NISHAD (@abhinavshines8) September 22, 2020
Dhoni watching sanju samson from behind the wickets pic.twitter.com/6GX3lXwh3J
— Pranshu Kesharwani (@__Pranshu__) September 22, 2020
Sanju Samson is taking singles and doubles in between hitting those boundaries just to impress sunil gavaskar..
— Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt) September 22, 2020
What are you batting with?@JofraArcher 🤔
— Shai Hope (@shaidhope) September 22, 2020
https://twitter.com/Tanishq_4090/status/1308434792229138432
#CSKvsRR
CSK: We will not let you reach 200Jofra Archer: pic.twitter.com/7q3Musd0x7
— Aniket Sharma (@theonlypandit20) September 22, 2020
CSK:-Finally All Batsman's Are Out
Le Jofra Archer:- pic.twitter.com/FMGGrQQSsg— Chee Newz Parody (@Chee_Newz) September 22, 2020
4 sixes off first 2 balls! @JofraArcher things. #IPL2020 #CSKvRR
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) September 22, 2020
After watching #JofraArcher's batting against Lungi Ngidi#CSKvRR #IPL2020 pic.twitter.com/mZCmgSrSAN
— Kisslay Jha🇮🇳 (@TrollerBabua) September 22, 2020
6 6 6 6 @JofraArcher remember the name pic.twitter.com/68lj0fb0s0
— simon hughes (@theanalyst) September 22, 2020
#CSKvsRR @JofraArcher describing his innings: pic.twitter.com/XzILw2Y2e8
— Ankit (@naut_ankit) September 22, 2020