Mumbai: Jos Buttler (100 from 68 deliveries) fired his way to century, the first of IPL 2022, while clobbering Mumbai's bowlers all through the perimeter of DY Patil Sports Academy to take Rajasthan Royals to a massive 193/8 here on Saturday.
Amongst runs were also gun players - Sanju Samson (30 from 21 balls) and Shimron Hetmyer. While Samson happily played second fiddle to Buttler, Hetmyer blasted 35 run from 14 balls to take Rajasthan to an imposing first innings total.
However, it remains to be seen if the total is enough on the scoreboard as the dew factor has been playing a massive role in deciding the outcome of the contest. Mumbai Indians would fancy their chances if conditions are anything to go by.
For Mumbai Indians, there were not many stupendous performances in the face of Buttler's show. Jasprit Bumrah, however, did bag three wickets of Yashasvi Jaiswal (1), Hetmyer and Buttler in the end.
Buttler, who was off the mark with a boundary to fine-leg and hit his first maximum, a pull shot over mid-wicket, off Daniel Sams (0/32), in the second over seemed on a rampage.
He tore into Basil Thampi's fourth over, hammering him for three maximums and two boundaries, as Rajasthan fetched 26 runs and raced to 43/1.
Buttler, who hit two successive boundaries off Sams, brought up his fifty in just 32 balls and then took the Mumbai Indians attack to task.
At 87/2, after 10 overs, the stage was set for a big score. Buttler was playing big shots at will and was ably supported by his captain. The duo was brutal on Murugan Ashwin, hitting him for 21-runs in the 11th over.
Samson struck three sixes and a four, before being dismissed by Kieron Pollard in the 15th over. Then it was the Hetymar show, as he hit compatriot Pollard for two fours and as many sixes in the 17th over, where RR got 26 runs. Buttler paced his innings well and reached to the three-figure mark with a single. However Bumrah's 19th over partially got MI back in the game.
Brief Scores:
Rajasthan Royals: 193 for 8 in 20 overs (Jos Buttler 100, Shimron Hetmyer 35, Sanju Samson 30; Jasprit Bumrah 3/17) vs MI.
