Former champions Rajasthan Royals scored an emphatic 8-wicket victory over hosts Deccan Chargers in their opening Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Rajiv Gandhi International cricket stadium here today.
After restricting Deccan Chargers to 137 for the loss of eight wickets, the Royals romped home with seven balls to spare, making 141 for two in 18.5 overs.
Rajasthan openers Paunikar and Rahul Dravid put up 31 runs for the first wicket. Paunikar edged a short delivery off Dale Steyn to Sanghakkara behind the stumps. Paunikar made 20 off 19 balls with four hits to the fence. But a determined Dravid steadied Rajasthan innings with Johan Botha, adding 52 runs for the second wicket, before he fell for 28 off 35 balls with two boundaries.
Later Botha and the big hitting Kiwi all rounder Ross Taylor saw Rajasthan Royals winning their first encounter of the season without much difficulty. Botha remained not out on 67 off just 47 balls that included a six and eight hits to the fence. Taylor remained not out on 21 with two sixes and a four.
Put in to bat first, Deccan Chargers got off to a good start with Shikhar Dhawan and I R Jaggi hitting Rajasthan Royals medium-pacers
J P Oram and Amit Singh all over. Dhawan was deceived with a slower one by Amit Singh as he dragged it from out side off stump to mid wicket where Raut took an easy catch.
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