Jos Buttler rules IPL 2022.
On Tuesday, May 24, 2022. the Aramco Orange Cap holder made full use of a couple of dropped catches during his 56-ball knock studded with 12 fours and two sixes.
After having gone five innings without a fifty, the Englishman bounced back with a breezy 89 off 56 balls as the Rajasthan Royals posted 188/6 against the Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2022 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
The Royals lost Yashasvi Jaiswal in just the second over when Yash Dayal had him nicking behind. But the turnaround from then on was swift thanks to Skipper Sanju Samson, who launched the first ball he faced over long-on for six.
At a time when Buttler struggled to get going, Samson dealt in boundaries in an entertaining powerplay display.
Samson smashed 47 off 26 balls while at the other end, Buttler was slow off the blocks; he was struggling and searching for timing. At one stage, Buttler was 30 off 31 and no one expected him to get going.
Buttler was fortunate to get two reprieves -- first on 43 when Hardik Pandya slipped to miss a sitter at long on, and then Rashid Khan grassed him on 69.
He then took on Alzarri Joseph smashing three boundaries in an over to accelerate his scoring. It kickstarted the turnaround that Buttler, and RR, were desperately seeking.
Buttler revived his form which had gone missing in recent matches as he milked 46 off the subsequent 17 balls he faced; he was run out on the final delivery of the innings.
That final push allowed the Royals to get a more than competitive total that, however, did not prove to be enough.
RR now face the winner of the Eliminator between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Lucknow Super Giants in the second qualifier.
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