Rajasthan Royals did not look a gift horse in its mouth, making Kings XI Punjab captain Yuvraj Singh regret his decision to field first on winning the toss in the DLF Indian Premier League here on Tuesday. By making the best total in IPL 2009, Rajasthan Royals were able to complete a 78-run victory to take the second place in the league.
Openers Naman Ojha (68, 51 balls five fours, five sixes) and Graeme Smith (77, 44 balls, 12 fours, one six) posted the best stand in the tournament this season - 135 runs - and Ravindra Jadeja (33, 12 balls, five fours, one six) ensured that Rajasthan Royals made 211 for four in 20 overs, the biggest total in 30 matches. Ojha was fabulous with his big, clean strikes allow Smith to find the form that fetched him the man of the match award and frustrated Kings XI Punjab no end. Yuvraj's pace bowling trio of Irfan Pathan, S Sreesanth - coming off an injury - and Purple Cap holder Yusuf Abdulla - all disappointed him by either pitching it up or delivering the ball very short on a batting track.
On the contrary, Rajasthan Royals paceman Amit Singh found the right length to hit the deck and cause grief in the Kings XI ranks when they chased 212 for a win. Seeking quick runs, Kings XI Punjab were reduced to two for two in the first over when Sunny Sohal and Karan Goel fell to Amit Singh.
When Simon Katich, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene fell before eight overs were complete, it was all over bar the shouting. Yuvraj Singh hit a few lusty blows but Kings XI Punjab had left themselves with an unsurmountable peak to scale. The little known Amit Singh, 27, finished with figures of three for nine in his four overs and could count himself unlucky not to have been given the man of the match award.
With nine points from eight games Rajasthan Royals rose to the second place in the table behind Chennai Super Kings. Kings XI Punjab, second at the start of the game, slipped to sixth place in the league, wondering what they need to do to get back in the top half.
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