MUMBAI, India, CMC – A dashing knock by West Indies batting star Shimron Hetmyer went in vain as Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Rajasthan Royals by four wickets in the Indian Premier League here yesterday.
Sent in at the Wankhede Stadium, Royals mustered 169 for three from their 20 overs with Jos Buttler extended his splendid form with an unbeaten 70 from 47 balls and Hetmyer belting an unbeaten 42 from 31 balls with four fours and two sixes.
In reply, RCB recovered from 87 for five in the 13th over to reach their target with five balls remaining, Shahbaz Ahmed hitting 45 off 26 balls and Dinesh Karthik lashing unbeaten 44 from 23, the pair putting on a match-winning 67 for the sixth wicket.
Despite the loss – their first of the season – Royals remained top of tables with four points from three matches while RCB won their second to be one of six teams also on four points.
Yashasvi Jaiswal perished for four with six on the board in the second over but Buttler inspired two stands to rescue the innings.
The Englishman, coming off a hundred in his last game, punched half-dozen sixes as he added 70 for the second with Devdutt Padikkal (37) and 83 in an unbroken fourth wicket partnership with Hetmyer.
Arriving at the crease in the 12th over, Hetmyer was scoreless from his first eight deliveries before finally getting off the mark with back-to-back fours off leg-spinner Hasaranga de Silva in the 14th over.
He failed to really find any momentum until the end of the 16th over, however, clearing the boundary for the first time with seamer Mohammed Siraj before combining with Buttler to take 19 runs from the penultimate over sent down by Siraj.
Hetmyer then struck the final ball of the last over from seamer Akash Deep for six, the third of the over following two hefty blows from Buttler as 23 runs gushed from the over.
In reply, captain Faf du Plessis (29) and Anuj Rawat (26) put on 55 before five wickets tumbled for 32 runs to leave Royals on top before Shahbaz and Karthik staged their fireworks at the end.
