'Captain leading from front' - Hardik Pandya's stellar spell reduces RR to mediocre score in IPL 2022 final

Rajasthan Royals have ended with a relatively low score of 130 for the loss of nine wickets in the finals of the IPL 2022 edition at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. While the track was helpful for the bowlers, the Gujarat Titans used the short deliveries to their advantage and even Jos Buttler could not repeat his heroics. Skipper Hardik Pandya stepped up again and recorded figures of 3/17 in his four-over spell and changed the game on its head.

Earlier in the game, Rajasthan Royals opted to bat first after winning the toss and the move did not work as they lost the plot completely even after a good start to the innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal took the risk in the powerplay and scored some quick runs, including a sensational six off Mohammed Shami. However, the left-hander perished after a well made 16-ball 22 while Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson joined hands at the end of the fourth over.

Samson played two good shots and he followed Jaiswal soon for just an 11-ball 14. Buttler held the innings from one end and he always knew that he could make up with the kind of form he has been in. However, it wasn’t the same case with Devdutt Padikkal who got off the mark only in his eighth delivery. The pressure got to Padikkal (2) with some impressive bowling from Hardik Pandya and Rashid Khan. The left-hander eventually cut one straight into the hands of short third man which wasn’t a shorter delivery.

Rajasthan Royals collapse after a good start

Jos Buttler (39) who had to see the stuff from the other end nicked one off the bowling off Hardik to the wicketkeeper and suddenly, RR was reduced to 79 for 4 from 60 for 1. Shimron Hetmyer (11) and Ravichandran Ashwin (6) tried to up the scoring rate but provided relatively simple catches to the Gujarat Titans fielders. Trent Boult and Riyan Parag had not many deliveries to get their eye in and the former was dismissed after hitting a six.

Parag took the singles until the final overs while Obed McCoy had a free swing which did get him a six off Sai Kishore’s bowling. However, some brilliant death bowling meant that the Royals could not finish on a high and Parag was clean bowled in the final delivery of the innings with a stunning yorker from Mohammed Shami.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to Rajasthan Royal’s first innings