IPL: Rajasthan Royals reign at home after the rain

JAIPUR: Smarting from a crushing defeat at the hands of Sunrisers Hyderabad in their opening IPL fixture, Rajasthan Royals looked to seek home comfort against Delhi Daredevils at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. And under lights on Wednesday, they overcame early jitters in a rain-curtailed fixture to notch up their first win of the season.
Royals were looking to make the most of the death overs, when rain stopped play, leaving them stranded at 153/5 in 17.3 overs.The heavy downpour not only halted the game but also downed the mood of the stadium, which was a packed house. And why not! It was after four years that the city hosted its first IPL fixture.
However, play resumed after a while with Delhi needing 71 in six overs. They could manage only 60 for four as Royals won by 10 runs (D/L method).
The crowd went crazy as Daredevils skipper Gautam Gambhir decided to bowl first, putting the Royals to bat, Though Gambhir's plan paid early dividends with THE hosts losing two vital wickets in a span of 28 runs. But skipper Ajinkya Rahane and Sanju Samson steadied the ship, stealing singles and doubles at will with occasional boundaries. The duo helped Royals cross the 50-run mark in just six overs.
Samson, especially, staged a stunning fightback. While Rahane fell five runs short of his half-century, Samson compiled a well-deserved 22-ball 37, before falling prey to Shahbaz Nadeem. Wicketkeeper Jos Buttler didn't impress much as he made a 18-ball 29. He and Rahul Tripathi were looking to up the ante when rain intervened and brought everything to a halt.