IPL 2024: Punjab's ball show restricts RR to 144 runs

Rahul Chahar after claiming the wicket of RR opener Tom Kohler-Cadmore in Guwahati. Pic/PTI

Despite a well-tuned 48 from local hero Riyan Parag, Rajasthan Royals struggled against an array of accurate bowlers on a rather slow pitch, meandering to a sub-par 144 for nine against Punjab Kings here on Wednesday.

R Ashwin (28, 19b, 3x4, 1x6) and Parag (48, 34, 6x4) tried to accelerate during their 50-run stand for the fourth wicket, but it could only bring in a temporary momentum for RR, who have already qualified for the Playoffs.

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Punjab skipper Sam Curran (2-24 in three overs), Rahul Chahar (2-26 in four overs), Harshal Patel (2-28 in four overs) and Nathan Ellis (1-24 in four overs) were all on target. At the time of going to press, RR were 55-4 in nine overs.

Earlier, Sanju Samson (18), who went past 500-run in a season for the first time in his IPL career, and Tom Kohler-Cadmore (18, 23b) stitched 36 runs for the second wicket but took six overs for it.

Eventually, Samson, who tried a hopping cut off pacer Ellis, gave a simple catch to Chahar at point in the seventh over. Apart from conquering those little peaks the RR batters failed to slip into the top gear consistently.

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