WATCH: Sakariya aborts run up, rethinks plan to Rahul and dismisses him
Chetan Sakariya had a forgettable night as Punjab Kings unbelievably lost a fairly regulation run chase in the death overs against Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2021 fixture in Dubai on Tuesday. The left-arm quick had made a solid impression in the first leg of the IPL, helping him win an ODI and T20I cap. Sakariya picked up seven wickets and was a standout bowler in the powerplay and death overs for RR in the first leg.
Here, the RR quick started off with a five-run over, and was unlucky not to dismiss KL Rahul as Evin Lewis dropped a sitter at point off a cut shot. If that wasn’t painful enough, Rahul compounded the woes in his second over. Sakariya was smashed all around the park in his next by KL Rahul as the Punjab Kings opener hit him for 4, 6 and 6 in sequence in the fourth over that cost 19 runs.
Sakariya’s night got worse as Rahul started off with another four off the first ball of his third over. After another off-cutter and a slower ball went for just singles, Sakariya seemed to be plotting something against Rahul.
Off the fifth ball, the RR bowler strolled in to bowl, then aborted his run up as though rethinking his plan at Rahul and then bowled one that angled away from the right-hander at slow pace. The lack of pace meant Rahul’s timing was off and he lobbed a catch to the short third man waiting.
WATCH CHETAN SAKARIYA DISMISSING KL RAHUL
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Dropped catches cost Rajasthan Royals big in the game early on. Had Evin Lewis latched onto the chance Sakariya forced off Rahul in the second over, the game might have taken an entirely different route earlier itself. The openers put on a hundred-run stand, but Rahul was dropped thrice in the powerplay overs alone!
The young left-arm seamer did not complete his quota of overs, finishing on figures of 3-0-31-1. While the wicket of Rahul didn’t seem important at the time as PBKS were cruising to the target, it proved to be a major moment as Punjab lost their way in unbelievable fashion.
With 12 needed off 17 balls and 8 wickets in hand, PBKS went nowhere and couldn’t make four runs in the final over as Kartik Tyagi bowled an amazing final over, defending the total.