Powell cameo not enough as Hetmyer’s Royals top IPL

MUMBAI, India (CMC):

Rovman Powell’s daring cameo proved too little too late as Shimron Hetmyer’s Rajasthan Royals galloped to the top of the Indian Premier League standings with a 15-run win over Delhi Capitals here yesterday.

In a high-scoring affair at the Wankhede Stadium, Royals piled up 222 for two off their 20 overs behind Englishman Jos Buttler’s astonishing 116 off 65 deliveries – his third hundred of the campaign – and then limited Capitals to 207 for eight.

Powell entered at number eight and blasted five sixes in a 15-ball 36, before perishing to the final delivery of the match.

Captain Rishabh Pant top-scored with 44 while opener Prithvi Shaw and Lalit Yadav both chipped in with 37, but the 36 required from the final over proved insurmountable, even though Powell lashed sixes off the first three deliveries from West Indies teammate Obed McCoy.

The victory moved Royals to 10 points, only ahead of Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bangalore on net run rate.

Capitals are four points behind in sixth place in the 10-team standings.

Sent in, Royals were propelled by the irrepressible Buttler who lashed nine fours and nine sixes, in racing to his fifth career T20 hundred off 57 deliveries.

He put on 155 for the first wicket with Devdutt Padikkal who punched seven fours and two sixes off 35 balls, before adding a further 47 for the second wicket with Sanju Samson, who slammed a 19-ball 46 with five fours and three sixes.

Hetmyer finished unbeaten on one from the single ball he faced, after arriving at the crease at the end of the penultimate over.

In reply, Shaw posted 43 for the first wicket with David Warner (28) and added 51 for the third wicket with Pant, but a clatter of wickets saw Capitals slump to 127 for five at the end of the 13th over.

Lalit, who struck three fours and two sixes, added 30 for the sixth wicket with Shardul Thakur (10) and another 30 for the seventh with Powell, to revive the innings and keep life in the contest.

Once Lalit departed in the 19th over, Powell took responsibility for the chase but his last-over fireworks were insufficient.

McCoy’s three overs leaked 52 runs and yielded one wicket – that of Powell skying to the wicketkeeper.