IPL 2021: Rajasthan Royals steal victory despite Arshdeep Singh five-for

Punjab Kings seemed to have sealed victory after their tall pacer and openers KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal put their team in command, only for young Kartik Tyagi to snap up two wickets for one run in the last over for a two-run win.

In an Indian Premier League of two parts, bowlers have so far relished shaking up the image of T20 cricket as a batsman’s game since the second phase began in the UAE at the weekend. On Tuesday, young fast bowler Arshdeep Singh took that record to a mini crescendo, enacting the second part of his 2021 IPL heroics against former winners Rajasthan Royals.

Kartik Tyagi defended 4 off the final over against Punjab Kings.  (IPL/Twitter)

The 22-year-old Punjab left-armer captured 5/32, his maiden IPL fifer to underline his rapidly improving career graph. Rajasthan Royals were at the receiving end of the 6’3” Arshdeep in Dubai, though they avoided a major batting collapse unlike Royal Challengers Bangalore the previous night against Kolkata Knight Riders.

In the end, RR managing 185 all out made the difference, unlike Royal Challengers Bangalore collapsing to less than 100 the previous night in the heavy defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders. In the end, another young fast bowler Kartik Tyagi produced the near impossible, taking two wickets for one run in the last over to help Royals steal a two-run victory.

Punjab Kings, looking headed for an easy win, were restricted to 183/4. Fabian Allen missed the last ball bowled down the off-side corridor and the Royals camp erupted in celebration.

But RR were reeling from the Arshdeep effect for most part of the game. A member of the victorious 2018 U-19 World Cup side, Arshdeep had given grief to Royals in the first leg in April as well, bowling the final over and dismissing skipper Sanju Samson for 119 to clinch a four-run win for Punjab Kings. And that team had England stalwarts Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes, both not available in the UAE with fast bowler Jofra Archer too out injured.

Arshdeep is among the next line of fast men with potential to play for India, and being a left-arm bowler and 6’3” tall, makes him even more welcome. Going as a net bowler on the limited-over tour of Sri Lanka was a step up as well. Arshdeep’s focus then was improved, which was in display on Tuesday night.

“When one is bowling to the likes of Chris Gayle and KL Rahul in the nets and has a coach like Anil Kumble, one is going to improve and get better with each game. Then there was Mohammed Shami for inputs from the other bowling end. Also, the time I got to work on my fitness in the lockdown last season helped me perform well in both 2020 and 2021 IPLs. I am going to use my experience of being around seniors like Shikhar Dhawan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar,” he had said.

His father Darshan Singh had quit his job in the Central Industrial Security Force which meant constant transfers, to help his son’s cricket development. The way Arshdeep mixes up deliveries and bowls in the death overs has been a boost for PK.

On Wednesday, his first three wickets were set batsmen. Evin Lewis (36) had a fifty stand with Yashasvi Jaiswal (49) before he sliced a shot to cover. Skipper Samson, at No. 3, fell cheaply to Ishan Porel. Liam Livingston (25) was next, his hopes of hitting Arshdeep for a boundary was turned into a brilliant catch by Fabian Allen, running and diving at deep midwicket. Chetan Sakariya and Kartik Tyagi provided obliging tail-enders as the youngster completed his five-for.

RR didn’t do their cause any favour. Rival skipper KL Rahul hit 49 in a 120-run opening stand with Mayank Agarwal (67- 43b, 7x4, 2x6) to effectively kill the contest. But Rahul was dropped by Lewis on 2 at backward point and then IPL’s most expensive buy, Chris Morris, drew a mistake from him on 29, only for Riyan Parag, moving back, to drop the easy chance. Rahul, who became the second fastest to 3,000 runs in IPL, was also dropped Chetan Sakariya and still didn’t get his first. He and Agarwal fell in the space of eight deliveries, but Aiden Markram and Nicolas Pooran steered the team almost home.

The late turn of fortunes would boost Rajasthan Royals, who were, like Punjab Kings, stuck close to the bottom and without their England stars.