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Rajasthan Royals (RR) started their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 campaign on a positive note after registering a comprehensive victory against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Tuesday, September 22.
Chasing a daunting total of 217, the Super Kings did not have the greatest of a start as their openers, Murali Vijay and Shane Watson, struggled to get going in the beginning.
Watson, however, made up for his rusty start with four humongous sixes while Murali departed after playing a lacklustre 21-run a ball knock.
Faf du Plessis, who scored a fiery 72 off just 37 balls, was the pick of the batsmen for CSK, but he didn’t get any substantial contribution from the other end.
MS Dhoni fired three successive sixes in the last over of the game, but the Royals had already rubber-stamped their authority by then.
Samson and Smith dominate the show in first innings
Earlier in the game, Sanju Samson and Steve Smith combined 121 runs for the second wicket partnership. Samson (74 off 32 deliveries) looked in ominous touch as he clobbered the CSK’s bowlers all over the park.
Samson’s innings was laced with nine sixes and one four. He fell prey to Lungi Ngidi in the 12th over.
Smith led from the front as he held the innings from one end, and launched a timely attack to keep the run-rate in check.
Smith scored 69 runs off 47 deliveries with the help of four boundaries and as many sixes.
RR skipper, known for his idiosyncratic batting stance, didn’t fail to grab attention with an unconventional shot played in the sixteenth over off the Proteas’ tearaway Ngidi.
Smith shuffled across the crease and capitalized on Ngidi’s pace to paddle it over the short fine leg for a boundary.
Relive the moment here:
Name this shot! 😍
We’ll go: Smudge Scoop! @rajasthanroyals 👀
It's all happening here: https://t.co/wiMWhEehpJ#Dream11IPL #CricketYourWay #IPL2020 #RRvCSK pic.twitter.com/vzRYGj0QYB
— Hotstar USA (@Hotstarusa) September 22, 2020
