Rajasthan Royals (RR) registered an emphatic 4-wicket win over Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in one of the most entertaining matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday (September 27). The Rajasthan side managed to score 82 runs off the last four overs as they completed the highest ever successful run-chase in the IPL history. Chasing 224 to win, Rajasthan Royals were going along well when Steven Smith and Sanju Samson were smoking to all corners of the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The seminal moment of the game came in the 10th over when the Royals thinktank decided to promote Rahul Tewatia up the order. The move was looking like an absolute disaster during the first 19 balls of Rahul Tewatia”s innings as he just couldn’t get any timing to strokes, hobbling his way to 8.
With the run-rate soaring past 16, matters came to a head when Sanju Samson even denied to take singles in the 16th over as he smoked Maxwell for three consecutive sixes. Samson was eventually dismissed in the next over and with Tewatai struggling with his timing, it looked like the Royals would need Robin Uthappa to play out of skins to win them the game. It all changed within the next 6 balls as Rahul Tewatia in what was a redemption for ages, smashed Sheldon Cottrell for four consecutive sixes, and five overall to bring the equation down to 21 off 12 balls. Tewatia scored his last 45 runs in just nine balls and brought up his half-century with another disdainful six in the very next over. He was eventually dismissed by Shami but not before he had set the Royals on their way to the highest run-chase in IPL history. Tewatia's stunning assault left cricketer's and Bollywood celebs shocked.
