Yashasvi Jaiswal showcased his form with an unbeaten 104 as Rajasthan Royals strengthened their position at the top of the IPL table, dominating Mumbai Indians with a comprehensive nine-wicket victory on Monday.
Medium-pace bowler Sandeep Sharma’s remarkable spell of 5-18 played a crucial role in restricting Mumbai to 179-9, following Yuzvendra Chahal’s milestone achievement of claiming his 200th IPL wicket at Rajasthan’s home ground in Jaipur.
Jaiswal, the left-handed opener, surpassed his previous season’s best of 39, guiding the team to victory in 18.4 overs despite an interruption due to rain.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my innings from the beginning, ensuring I focused on watching the ball carefully and playing proper cricketing shots,” said Jaiswal.
“I’m just trying to do what I do well. Some days it comes together, and some days it doesn’t. I’m not overthinking it.”
Rajasthan, who clinched the inaugural IPL title in 2008 under the late Australian hero Shane Warne, secured their seventh win in eight matches.
Jaiswal achieved his second IPL century, both against Mumbai, as he hammered nine fours and seven sixes in his 60-ball innings, forming a crucial 109-run partnership with skipper Sanju Samson, who contributed 38 runs.
Sharma orchestrated victory with his first-ever five-wicket haul in T20 cricket, stealing the spotlight from Chahal’s remarkable feat and earning the man of the match title.
Chahal dismissed Mohammad Nabi, caught and bowled for 23 with his leg-spin, celebrating the achievement with embraces from teammates. However, Chahal conceded 48 runs in four overs, while Sharma shone by claiming three wickets in the 20th over, including Tilak Varma, who top-scored with 65, and Tim David, who managed three runs.
Chahal was substituted, with Jos Buttler stepping in as the impact player. Buttler initiated his innings with two boundaries in the opening over bowled by skipper Hardik Pandya, who played his milestone 100th IPL match.
Pandya has faced challenges this season, especially after taking over the captaincy from the veteran Rohit Sharma, which resulted in him being jeered by fans across different venues.
“After the match, it’s not the right time to approach the players. Everyone is a professional; they understand their roles,” stated Pandya.
“What we can do is learn from this game, identify the mistakes we’ve made, rectify them, and ensure they’re not repeated.”
The left-handed Jaiswal also contributed to the charge, striking South African speedster Gerald Coetzee for a six and two boundaries to kickstart the chase.
Rajasthan swiftly reached 61-0 within six overs before rain interrupted play. After a 45-minute delay, action resumed.
Piyush Chawla dismissed Buttler for 35 after the break, but Jaiswal remained resolute and, alongside Samson, made the chase seem effortless.
