Shivam Dube, Riyan Parag and Rahul Tewatia played fantastic cameos for the Rajasthan Royals as they recovered from a bad start to set Royal Challengers Bangalore a 178-run target.
RR lost 4 quick wickets before the troika got going and led the recovery act against the Virat Kohli-led side. RCB are looking for their fourth consecutive win.
Asked to bat first, the Royals had a terrible start as Jos Buttler chopped one onto his stumps of Mohammed Siraj for 8. In the next over, Manan Vohra was dismissed as Kyle Jamieson got into the act as well – reducing RR to 16/2 in 4 overs.
Captain Sanju Samson smashed a monster six during an 18-ball innings, scoring 21 before Glenn Maxwell took a sharp catch of Washington Sundar.
Soon after David Miller was sent packing too by Siraj as he was trapped LBW for 0.
The Royals with their backs to the wall and in need of a partnership had Shivam Dube and Riyan Parag steadied the ship with a free-scoring approach.
The duo put on a 66-run partnership of 39 deliveries, giving the Royals batting some momentum.
Parag, who smashed 4 boundaries, scored 25 off 16 before Harshal Patel had his number. At the other end, Dube was fast approaching a half century and played a few clever strokes during his knock.
The southpaw added 46 to the cause from 32 deliveries with five boundaries and a couple of sixes to help him along the way.
Rahul Tewatia then got himself into the act and kept the scoreboard moving at good pace. He along with Chris Morris had their task cut out to finish strongly against a RCB attack who were bowling well.
Tewatia and Morris dragged the Royals over the 150-run mark with the South African all-rounder hammering Jamieson for six over his head off the final delivery of the 18th over.
Tewatia took the attack to Siraj in the 19th over, hammering him for a six and a four in a 13-run over before holing out in the deep while looking to go over cow corner. Tewatia, who was dismissed for 40 off 23, hit four boundaries and two sixes, helping the Royals march on towards to 170.
Harshal Patel, expensive up until then, started off the final over with a low full-toss that gave him the wicket of Morris for 10. Patel then dismissed Chetan Sakariya for a 0 off the next ball before Shreyas Gopal played out the hat-trick ball.
Shreyas then smashed a six off Patel to take the Royals to 177/9.
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