Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh): Following his side's four-wicket win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match, Rajasthan Royals (RR) batter Devdutt Padikkal said that his knock was the best he had hit a cricket ball apart from net sessions.
"Apart from the net sessions [it is the best I have hit the ball]. I was hitting well coming into the season, but it did not come off well. Every game you come into the side and you want to win the game. Finally, I could make an impact. [on batting at No. 3] It has been that kind of a season where I have been all over the place with the order. It does not matter which position I bat, I have to learn. At the start of the season not sure if I could make it. I was in a very bad shape. Thankful to everyone who supported me," said Padikkal in a post-match presentation.
Padikkal has had a solid IPL 2023. In 11 matches, he has scored 261 runs at an average of 26.10. He has scored two half-centuries this season, with the best score of 52. After being put to bat first by RR, PBKS scored 187/5 in their 20 overs. They struggled against RR bowlers initially, losing their four wickets for just 50 runs in 6.3 overs.
Then Jitesh Sharma (44 in 28 balls, with three fours and three sixes) and Sam Curran stitched a 64-run stand for the fifth wicket to bring PBKS back into the game. Then in death overs, Curran (49* in 31 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) and Shahrukh Khan (41* in 23 balls, four boundaries and two sixes) joined forces to up the run rate, taking PBKS to a competitive total. They scored 46 runs in the final two overs.
Navdeep Saini (3/40) was the pick of the bowlers for RR. Trent Boult and Adam Zampa took a wicket each. In the chase of 188, RR lost Jos Buttler early for a duck, his fifth this season. Then Yashasvi Jaiswal (50 in 36 balls, with eight fours) and Devdutt Padikkal (51 in 30 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes) stitched a 73-run stand for the second wicket, helping RR fight back.
Later on, cameos from Shimron Hetmyer (46 in 28 balls, four boundaries and three sixes), Riyan Parag (20 in 12 balls, with one four and two sixes) and Dhruv Jurel (10* in four balls) helped RR clinch a last-over thriller win by four wickets. Kagiso Rabada (2/40) was the pick of the bowlers for PBKS. Sam Curran, Nathan Ellis, Deepak Chahar and Arshdeep Singh took a wicket each.
Padikkal got the 'Player of the Match' award for his fifty. With this, RR is in the fifth spot in the points table with seven wins and seven losses. They have a total of 14 points. They can still climb up to the top four spot if Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) lose their last match against Gujarat Titans by a huge margin and Mumbai Indians lose their last match against Sunrisers Hyderabad too. PBKS's IPL 2023 campaign is over. They end in the eighth position with six wins and eight losses. They have a total of 12 points. (ANI)
