Delight turned into dismay for Punjab in the space of six balls. The Mohali-based side suffered a stunning two-run defeat at the hands of Rajasthan on Tuesday. Kartik Tyagi, who successfully defended four runs in the last over of the match, emerged the hero for the 2008 champions.
It was the uncapped domestic players who shone in a high-scoring thriller in Dubai. Yashasvi Jaiswal, the top run-scorer in the 2020 U19 World Cup, struck 49, while Mahipal Lomror made a 17-ball 43. Arshdeep Singh became the third bowler to pick up a five-wicket haul this season. However, it was Tyagi’s final over that grabbed all the headlines. He bowled five dot balls and removed Nicholas Pooran and Deepak Hooda.
Rajasthan batsmen dictate terms
Put in to bat first, left-handed duo Jaiswal and Evin Lewis made the perfect start for Rajasthan. Lewis battered debutant Ishan Porel and Hooda as they reached fifty at the end of five overs. Arshdeep drew the first blood for Punjab with the wicket of Lewis. The West Indies opener departed for 36. Porel grabbed his maiden wicket, removing Sanju Samson for just 4.
Jaiswal took a leaf out of Lewis’ book and ensured Rajasthan maintained a healthy scoring rate. He took Adil Rashid to the cleaners in the Englishman’s first over. At the other end, Livingstone punished Arshdeep with a four and dispatched the ball to the stands. The 22-year-old had the final laugh thanks to Fabian Allen, who took a sensational diving catch near the boundary line to dismiss Livingstone.
Punjab bowlers continued to leak runs. Lomror struck back-to-back sixes off Rashid. Jaiswal fell one short of a maiden Indian T20 league fifty. But Lomror wreaked havoc on the bowlers. He punished a wayward Hooda with two sixes and as many boundaries in the 16th over. Rajasthan moved to 164/4.
Punjab hit back
Rajasthan lost Riyan Parag and Lomror in quick succession. Meanwhile, Mohammed Shami claimed the wickets of Rahul Tewatia and Chris Morris in the penultimate over of the innings and dented Rajasthan’s hopes of 200. He finished with figures of 3/21. Arshdeep, too, took two wickets and clinched a maiden five-wicket haul in T20 cricket.
A century stand
Rahul and Mayank Agarwal dominated the Rajasthan bowlers, who struggled to find their rhythm. The Punjab captain, dropped thrice by the Rajasthan fielders in the powerplay, did most of the scoring early in the innings. He cleared the ropes twice in Chetan Sakariya’s second over. Mayank, at the other end, hammered hat-trick fours off Tyagi and made 25 runs in the next over. The 30-year-old hit two sixes and added as many boundaries in Morris’ second spell.
Mayank reached his half-century in 34 balls, and Punjab moved to 106/0 at the halfway point. Sakariya put an end to the partnership with the wicket of Rahul, who became the second batsmen to be dismissed on 49 in the match. Agarwal, too, departed after holing out to Livingstone. They needed 60 off 42 balls with Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran at the crease.
Punjab continued to score freely as Markram and Pooran scored 16 runs off Parag. Mustafizur, too, got punished by the West Indies wicketkeeper-batsman. The equation came down to run a ball with 18 needed in three overs. Meanwhile, the duo brought up the 50-run stand in just 28 balls.
The dramatic last over
Tyagi began the 20th over with a dot ball, while Markram picked up a single in the next ball. Punjab went into panic mode after Pooran departed in the third ball. He tried to play the ball to the third man, but it ended up in the hands of Samson. The new man Hooda got a full and wide delivery. However, as Hooda tried to chase it, it was counted as a legal delivery.
Hooda, in the fifth ball, tried to connect with another wide delivery but edged the ball to the Rajasthan captain. With three needed off the final ball, Markram stood helpless at the non-striker’s end. Tyagi bowled a fourth straight dot ball to pick up a remarkable two-run win.
Arshdeep’s dream figures
Arshdeep has reasons to cheer despite a disappointing result for Punjab. The Guna-born speedster gave two crucial breakthroughs in the match. He broke the half-century stand between Jaiswal and Lewis and got the wicket of Livingstone, who was getting into his groove. Also, his three wickets in the death overs played a crucial role in restricting Rajasthan to 185.
Rajasthan 185 all out in 20 overs (Y Jaiswal 49, M Lomror 43; A Singh 5/32, M Shami 3/21)
Punjab 183/4 in 20 overs (M Agarwal 67, K L Rahul 49; K Tyagi 2/29)
Parameswaran Sankaranarayanan
Parameswaran Sankaranarayan is a sports enthusiast who has worked in print, website, and other digital platforms. He was part of the editorial team of first-ever Indian football-based website - IndianFootball.com (now defunct) - and passionately follows the latest happenings in world football. During his time as a journalist, he had the opportunity to interact with some of the iconic personalities in Indian sports and witness some memorable moments in Indian football.
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