IPL 2022: Jos Buttler hits first century of the season as Rajasthan Royals post 193/8 against Mumbai Indians

Jos Buttler smashed the first century of IPL 2022 to power Rajasthan Royals to 193 for eight against five-time champions Mumbai Indians on Saturday. Opening the innings after being sent into bat, Buttler hit a whirlwind 100 off 68 balls, only his second ton in the history of the IPL. He struck 11 boundaries and five sixes during his knock.

Besides Buttler, Shimron Hetmyer (35 off 14) looked in destructive form while skipper Sanju Samson (30 off 21) too got a start. Jasprit Bumrah (3/17) was the pick of the bowlers for MI.

The Englishman played shots all round the park to bring up his second IPL hundred and first of the current edition. It was all the more praiseworthy as Yashashvi Jaiswal (1) and Devdutt Padikkal (7) were dismissed cheaply. Skipper Sanju Samson (30 off 21 balls) played a useful knock as he and Buttler conjured 82-runs for the third wicket. A late cameo by Shimron Hetymar (35 off 14 balls; 3x4; 3x6) compounded the bowling team's woes.

Buttler, who was off the mark with a boundary to fine-leg and hit his first maximum, a pull shot over mid-wicket, off Daniel Sams (0/32), in the second over seemed on a rampage. He tore into Basil Thampi's fourth over, hammering him for three maximums and two boundaries, as Rajasthan fetched 26 runs and raced to 43/1. Buttler, who hit two successive boundaries off Sams, brought up his fifty in just 32 balls and then took the Mumbai Indians attack to task. At 87/2, after 10 overs, the stage was set for a big score. Buttler was playing big shots at will and was ably supported by his captain. The duo was brutal on Murugan Ashwin, hitting him for 21-runs in the 11th over. Samson struck three sixes and a four, before being dismissed by Kieron Pollard in the 15th over. Then it