IPL 2020, MI vs. RR: Ben Stokes hits ton, CSK knocked out after RR thrashes MI by 8 wickets
Ben Stokes' glorious hundred dominated over Hardik Pandya's six-hitting sesh as Rajasthan Royals charges the IPL play-offs race with an emphatic eight-wicket win over Mumbai Indians captained by Kieron Pollard.
Abu Dhabi, UAE:
Rajasthan Royals have put their names in the consideration for an Indian Premier League 2020 playoff place with a win over Mumbai Indians on Sunday at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
Stokes, robbed 14 fours and three sixes in his unbeaten 60-ball 107, found an able partner in Sanju Samson 54*(31) as their unbroken 152-run partnership allowed Royals moving towards the 196-run target. They raced to victory in 18.2 overs with 10 balls to spare.
Mumbai had put up a striking 195/5 target, courtesy 21-ball 60 Hardik Pandya, who smashed seven sixes and two fours. It was the fourth loss for Mumbai, who remain in safe place right at the top of the standings. The broad win over defending champions not only kept Royals alive in the tournament. They also eliminated Chennai Super Kings from the competition.
Samson joined Stokes, collecting four boundaries off Trent Boult in the third over. Stokes and Samson raced RR to 75/2 after eight overs and their fireworks collected 18 and 19 runs off the 13th and 14th over bowled by James Pattinson and Chahar.
Stokes completed his 100 in 59 balls, finishing the match with a boundary. Late hitting from Hardik and Saurabh Tiwary (34 of 25) enabled MI to amass 74 runs in the last four overs. Tiwary and Hardik shared a 64-run stand for the fifth wicket.
For Rajasthan Royals, Jofra Archer and Shreyas Gopal took two wickets.
Rajasthan Royals will next lock horns with Kings XI Punjab on Friday, October 30 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.