The champions of IPL first edition, though looked little struggling in the beginning, regained their momentum in DLF IPL 2009 with recent consecutive wins and on Tuesday when they padded up to battle against Kings XI Punjab, even the pace masters of Yuvraj could not stop them. Both their openers, Smith and Ojha, conquered new peaks to give a stubborn opening stand of 135 runs. Smith (77 off 44) and Ojha (68 off 51) enabled Royals to pile up the highest ever score of IPL Season 2 with the score reading 211 when overs ran out. Kings had lost half the game then itself and once they came out to bat, they looked too exhausted to chase down the target.
Being put to a tragic 53/5 at break, their sudden death was imminent but Yuvraj battled his heart out to extend the breath of the Kings XI. He too could not alter the fate as he fell in the penultimate over off Amit Singh with the score still 85 short of the target. Sreesanth, playing his first match in IPL second edition, was least expected to create any miracle and Kings were ultimately conquered by 78 runs at the end of the day by the defending champions.
Ojha, exploring his first IPL venture started off with an explosion scalping 16 off the first over and two sixes and one four in the very first over indicated the route Royals would like to follow in the match. Followed then was a perfect show of beautiful drives and penetrating cuts complemented by huge heaves very often. Smith and Ojha power played to 57 in 6 overs and further developed it to 92/0 after 10 overs. The match had much to offer even after the heroes Smith and Ojha left the scene with RA Jadeja blistering to a 12-ball 33 runs at the end thrashing Sreesanth for 23 in the penultimate over. The excited Royals concluded their part by scalping 211 for 4.
Chasing a total seeking more than 10 runs per over would certainly upset any great bat and the same happened to the likes of Sangakkara, Katich and Jayawardene. The killing whale was Amit Singh who scalped a wicket on his first T20 delivery and further added another one to his credit in the same over creating panic among Kings. He was there again to ruin the Kings XI once Yuvraj tried to shape up the things as he curtailed Yuvi’s innings with the help of Harwood. Yuvraj tried all the way but his struggle lasted till 48 runs which came off 37 balls with 3 fours and sixes each. With Amit Singh taking over the role of the demolisher in the second half of the match, all Punjab could do fell short of 78 runs with the end total remaining 133 for 8. Amit Singh claimed the great ever figures of 9 for 3 in 4 overs.
Now Royals look much acclimatized with the South African edition of IPL and robbing 2 points off Kings XI, they stand tall at number two of point tally making their way to semis smooth.
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