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Jos Buttler’s Century Guides RR to 55 Run Victory Over SRH

Jos Buttler’s maiden T20 century led Rajasthan Royals to a morale-lifting victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad. 

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Jos Buttler’s maiden T20 ton paved the way for Rajasthan Royals’ comprehensive victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad by an NRR-boosting margin of 55 runs on Sunday in New Delhi.

Buttler’s bumper knock was laced with eight sixes and eleven fours as RR posted an ominous 220/3 which proved too steep a mountain to climb for SRH as they folded for 165/8.

The crushing defeat is another major setback for SRH who are languishing at the bottom of the points table with a solitary win in seven games.

However, fellow bottom-dwellers RR will take a lot of heart from the emphatic win as they usurp Punjab Kings on the chart and climb to fifth, on account of a better NRR.

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In pursuit of a mighty 221, SRH got off to a flier in the PowerPlay with both Jonny Bairstow and Manish Pandey, who was promoted to the opening slot in David Warner’s absence, helping themselves to three boundaries each.

But Mustafizur Rehman drew first blood in the 7th over, rolling his fingers across the seam to castle Pandey for 31. Next to go was Bairstow who holed out to long-in in a bid to clear the rope against Rahul Tewatia for 30.

Kane Williamson and Vijay Shankar had a tough ask ahead with the asking rate creeping to 13 at the halfway mark. The skipper was given a lease of life at 13, with Chetan Sakariya at the edge of the circle grassing a difficult chance. But SRH conceded the third wicket anyway as Shankar ballooned a short ball from Chris Morris to long-on.

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The game was well and truly out of SRH’s reach when Williamson got out off Kartik Tyagi on 20 as they were reduced to 105/4 in 12.5 overs.

As the required rate grew, Mohammed Nabi, Abdul Samad, Kedar Jadhav and Rashid Khan perished swinging for the hills, putting a full stop on a forgettable day at the office for SRH.

Jos Buttler’s maiden T20 century led Rajasthan Royals to a morale-lifting victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad. 
Manish Pandey, the tidiest of customers in the field, put Samson down on 23. 
Image: BCCI
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Earlier, having opted to field first, SRH dealt an early blow as leggie Rashid Khan, introduced into the attack in the third over, trapped Yashasvi Jaiswal plumb in front. Sanju Samson, who got off the mark with a sweetly-timed six over mid-wicket, joined forces with Jos Buttler to stitch a 100-run stand. However, both batsmen were reprieved once, with Vijay Shankar misjudging Buttler’s hoick at long-on on 8 while Manish Pandey, among the safest pair of hands in the world, shelling a sitter to let Samson away on 23.

SRH paid the price for their poor groundwork as Buttler raced to a 39-ball fifty, unfurling his full range of shots from the trademark scoop to the short-arm jabs over cow corner. Rashid Khan was the only one to escape punishment, finishing his quota with an excellent economy of four, as SRH buckled under Buttler's onslaught.

Samson fell two shy of a half-century, miscuing a half-volley to long-off, where Abdul Samad held his nerve to complete a smart catch. But there was none stopping Buttler, who notched up his first century in the league history before taking Sandeep Sharma to the cleaners in the 19th over. The penultimate over reaped 24, although Buttler dragged on the final delivery to depart for a handsome 124. But the damage had already been done.

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