Shikhar Dhawan and Prabhsimran Singh smashed classy half-centuries before Nathan Ellis' exploits with the ball guided Punjab Kings to a nervy five-run victory over Rajasthan Royals in an IPL match, in Guwahati on Wednesday. Young Prabhsimran (60) and veteran skipper Dhawan (86 not out) pummelled the Rajasthan Royals attack to propel Punjab Kings to a challenging 197 for 4 after being asked to bat. The Royals were then blown away by Ellis (4/30) before Shimron Hetmyer (35) and young 'Impact Player' Dhruv Jurel (32 not out off 15) stitched a 62-run partnership to get Rajasthan back in the game.
But IPL's costliest overseas recruit Sam Curran, justified his top billing, by brilliantly defending 15 in the last over to restrict the Royals to 192 for 7.
Pacer Arshdeep Singh provided the early breakthrough as accounted fro both openers. The Royals sent Ravichandran Ashwin to open in place of Jos Buttler, who had walked off the filed grimacing after taking Shahrukh Khan's catch earlier on.
Yashasvi Jaiswal was first to go as he sent the ball straight the fielder. The Ashwin experiment also failed as the senior spinner perished for a duck.
Coming at No. 3 Buttler, hit an 11-ball-19. He was dropped in the third over but couldn't much as he became Ellis' first victim of the night.
Skipper Sanju Samson (42 off 25) looked in good nick as he timed the ball well. He smacked Harpreet Brar for back to back boundaries before greeting Ellis with twin fours. Rajasthan were 89 for 3 at the halfway mark. But the Punjab bowlers managed to dry out the boundaries and with the required run rate increasing Samson succumbed under the pressure and mistimed a a cross seamer by Ellis.
Ellis then sent back local favourite Riyan Parag (20 off 12) who
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