Mumbai: Star West Indies batter Shimron Hetmyer smashed an unbeaten fifty as Rajasthan Royals recovered from a mid-innings slump to post 165 for six against Lucknow Super Giants in an IPL game here on Sunday.
Hetmyer, who was dropped at 15 by Krunal Pandya, lived up to his Rs 8.50 crore price tag as he blasted six maximums and a four in his unbeaten 36-ball 59 to lift RR to a decent score at the Wandhake stadium.
Jos Buttler and Devdutt Padikkal added 42 runs in first five overs but they lost three wickets in a 15-ball burst to be reduced to 67 for four at one stage.
Hetmyer and Ravichandran Ashwin then rebuild the innings with a 68-run stand off 51 balls before the latter was strategically retired out by the RR camp in the slog overs.
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The West Indian paced his innings well before going for the shots at the back end. Earlier, Avesh Khan produced the first breakthrough with his first ball and then a two-wicket burst by Krishnappa Gowtham saw them reduce RR to 67 for four on a track where the ball was holding.
Jason Holder went for runs too many but managed two wickets, while Ravi Bishnoi too didn't have a good day, which included a drop return catch from Paddikal in his first over.
Opening the innings after being sent into bat, Jos Buttler smoked Holder for a maximum before sending the next one across the short fine leg but he was castled by Avesh in the first ball of his spell.
Paddikal, who replaced Yashsavi Jaiswal at the top, lived dangerously before paying the price for a reverse sweep as his top-edge landed in the safe hands of Holder, handing Gowtham a first-ball wicket.
The left-handed batter survived an LBW appeal in the first over off Dushmantha Chameera before being dropped by Bishnoi. Paddikal punished Bishnoi for bowling short, producing two good-looking shots through the covers for two boundaries.
The spinner then dropped an easy caught and bowl chance to add insult to injury. Avesh then drew the first blood, uprooting Buttler's middle stumps with his first delivery as RR reached 44 for 1 in the Powerplay overs.
Sanju Samson played two nice shots before being stuck on the pads by a full toss from Holder as RR slipped to 64 for two. Ashwin was promoted up the order and he along with Hetmyer rebuild RR's innings.
Krunal Pandya dropped a dolly at long-on in the 14th over to hand a reprieve to Hetmyer and the West Indian made LSG pay as he launched into compatriot Holder in the 18th over.
He clobbered him over deep mid-wicket to bring up the 50-run stand, before sending one fine down the leg-side and then plundered him down the ground as Holder bled 18 runs.
In a strategic move, Ashwin, who smashed two sixes off Gowtham, was retired out to allow Ryan Parag come into the crease in the slog overs. He hit two sixes of Avesh as well as the last two overs yielded 16 runs each.
PTI
