Mumbai: Jos Buttler's 103-run knock, his second of the season, and Yuzvendra Chahal's five-wicket haul which also included a hat-trick powered Rajasthan Royals to a thrilling seven-run win against Kolkata Knight Riders here at the Brabourne Stadium.
"Chahal and Buttler's performances were there for the world to see, " said Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson in the Post-match presentation ceremony.
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Ravichandran Ashwin took only one wicket but he got the prized scalp of dangerous Andre Russell leg before wicket for a golden duck. Obed McCoy bowled the final over of the match with KKR needing 11 runs with two wickets in hand but the left-arm pacer dismissed Sheldon Jackson and Umesh Yadav to guide Rajasthan to the fourth win of the season.
Ashwin's ball stood out as well. McCoy does not talk much and is calm, his ability to bowl well under pressure was commendable," said Sanju Samson.
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The match was a cliff-hanger where the pendulum tilted from one team to another as Kolkata Knight Riders were sailing through at one stage reaching the triple-figure mark in just 8.3 overs with Shreyas Iyer and Aaron Finch batting at the crease. But wickets from Chahal, Ashwin and Prasidh Krishna brought Sanju Samson led Rajasthan Royals back in the game.
"It was very tense and interesting. It was important to be calm and believe in ourselves. Halfway, I thought it was chaseable. They played very well and did not give chances. But the wickets helped," said Sanju Samson.
This is Rajasthan Royals' fourth win of the season in six matches taking them to the second spot in the points table. They will now take on Delhi Capitals in their next match on Friday in Pune. (ANI)
