Cricket Scorecard

We are back for the chase! The Punjab players are in a huddle with their skipper giving final words of motivation for his troops. 

Being put into bat, Punjab did not get off to a good start as they lost Mayank Agarwal early. Gayle struggled initially but that was just the calm before the storm. Gayle then started to find his flow while Rahul was going around his merry ways. When Gayle departed on 40, it looked like Rajasthan would have some respite. That was just a false alarm as Hooda came out smelling blood. He showed why he is so highly rated in the Indian domestic circuit and regarded as one of the fiercest hitters. Hoo

So Rajasthan have a mammoth task in hand if they are to avoid defeat in their opening game. They chased down a similar total last season.  A game that was coming out of age game for Rahul Tewatia. Different pitch, different venue and certainly different bowling attack for Punjab. Will Rajasthan be able to repeat their last season's heroics? Punjab will certainly hope that is not the case. The batters have done their job, now can the bowlers deliver? Join us for the chase to find out.

One of the star for Punjab with the bat, Deepak Hooda is caught for a quick chat. He says that he is happy with the innings. Adds that it was planned that he will bat at No. 4. Mentions that he bats in this position in domestic cricket. Ends by saying that they should be able to defend this total.

A tough outing with the ball for the Rajasthan bowlers. On a pitch that is superb to bat on and when the batters are going after the bowling, the bowlers need support from the fielders but unfortunately, they did not get that. The three batters who caused the most destruction, Rahul, Gayle and Hooda, were all dropped. 8 bowlers were used by Sanju Samson and barring Riyan Parag and debutant Chetan Sakariya, everyone else went for at least 10 rpo. Special mentions to Chetan Sakariya. The debutant

Wow! What a batting display we have witnessed here in the first innings! Take a bow, KL Rahul! He has once again lit up the tournament with his presence and the Punjab skipper has started the season leading the pack. It was a masterclass in power-hitting from the Punjab batters! A tremendous final over from debutant Chetan Sakariya though has minimized a lot of damage and kept Rajasthan in this game with an outside chance. Sanju Samson's captaincy debut has started with a torrid first half and h

Chetan Sakariya to KL Rahul, ! Boundary to finish the over. Exciting but expensive first over for Chetan Sakariya! He misses his line and bowls it on the pads. It is quick from Sakariya. Rahul clips it fine down the leg side. Away from the diving, Sanju Samson and the ball races to the fence.

Chetan Sakariya to Jhye Richardson, ! CAUGHT! Sakariya gets his third wicket! Full on middle, Richardson lofts it over mid off but does not get the distance on it. It goes towards long off where Chris Morris takes a comfortable catch. PUNJAB END WITH 221/6!

Chetan Sakariya to Jhye Richardson, Back of a length outside off, Richardson looks to smash it but misses it.

Chetan Sakariya to Shahrukh Khan, Short delivery on middle, Khan pulls it over mid-wicket for a single.

Chetan Sakariya to Shahrukh Khan, Full and outside off, Khan looks to go big but misses it.

Who will walk out to bat now? It is Jhye Richardson!

Chetan Sakariya to KL Rahul, ! CAUGHT! Excellent catch by Rahul Tewatia! Full on middle, Rahul lofts it over mid-wicket but does not get the distance on it. It goes towards the fielder where Tewatia tries to take the catch but realises that the momentum pushes him beyond the boundary. He comes back and takes the catch.

Chetan Sakariya to KL Rahul, ! That is hammered! Full delivery on off, Rahul lofts it over covers for a boundary.

Ben Stokes to KL Rahul, ! Good shot! Full delivery on off, Rahul lofts it over covers for a boundary.

Mustafizur Rahman to Shahrukh Khan, ! That is smashed! Short delivery on middle, Shahrukh Khan pulls it over square leg for a boundary. 15 runs from the over!

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, Back of a length on off, Rahul punches it through covers for a single.

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, Short delivery on off, Rahul cuts it through point. Two runs taken.

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, ! Nice shot! Full delivery on off, Rahul lofts it over covers for a boundary.

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, WIDE! Full and wide outside off, Rahul cannot reach to this one.

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, NO BALL! Full and outside off, Rahul looks to play the reverse scoop but misses it. The third umpire calls it a no ball as Rahman oversteps!

Mustafizur Rahman to Shahrukh Khan, Short delivery outside off, Khan pushes it uppishly towards long off for a single.

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, Short delivery outside off, Rahul looks to cut but gets an outside edge. It goes towards third man where it falls short of him. The batsmen take a single.

Mustafizur Rahman to bowl the penultimate over of the innings.

Chris Morris to Nicholas Pooran, ! That is a stunning catch from Chetan Sakariya! Short delivery on leg, Morris pulls it uppishly towards short fine leg where Chetan Sakariya moves to his left, dives and takes an excellent catch. The umpires want to check whether he has taken the catch cleany. The third umpire wants to check the replays. Replays show that Sakariya did not grass it and has done well to take it.

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, Full delivery outside off, Rahul drives it through covers for a single.

Chris Morris to Deepak Hooda, ! CAUGHT! Morris gets his first wicket! Length delivery on middle, Hooda looks to loft it over mid on but does not get the distance on it. It goes towards long on where Riyan Parag takes a comfortable catch. Deepak Hooda has played a brilliant innings here.

Who will walk out to bat now? It will be Nicholas Pooran!

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, ! That is clobbered! Short ball on middle, Rahul pulls it over mid-wicket for a biggie.

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, Back of a length on middle, Rahul looks to play the paddle scoop but gets an inside edge. It goes towards fine leg for a single.

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, ! Nice improvisation! Length delivery on middle, Rahul plays a paddle scoop over fine leg for a boundary.

Chetan Sakariya to Deepak Hooda, ! 15 runs from the over! Full delivery outside off, Hooda lofts it over point for a boundary.

Chetan Sakariya to Deepak Hooda, NO BALL AND ! Full delivery on off, Hooda lofts it over the bowler's head for a boundary. The third umpire calls it a no ball as Sakariya oversteps!

Chetan Sakariya to Deepak Hooda, ! That is hammered! Short delivery on leg, Hooda pulls it over fine leg for a boundary.

Chetan Sakariya to Deepak Hooda, Four!

Chetan Sakariya to Deepak Hooda, PLAY AND A MISS! Yorker outside off, Hooda looks to dig it out but misses it.

Chetan Sakariya to KL Rahul, Short ball on off, Rahul punches it towards point for a single.

Chetan Sakariya to Deepak Hooda, Full delivery on middle, Hooda looks to slog at it but gets it off the inner half of the bat. It goes towards fine leg. The batsmen cross ends.

Chetan Sakariya to Deepak Hooda, PLAY AND A MISS! Short and outside off, Hooda looks to cut but misses it.

STRATEGIC TIME-! Punjab have been going strong. KL Rahul and Deepak Hooda are putting on a great partnership here where Hooda has been the aggressor. On the other hand, Rajasthan bowlers are not finding any answers to Punjab's aggressive batting. They will try to restrict Punjab under 220.

Chris Morris to Deepak Hooda, Morris hits the deck hard and bfollows Hooda outside off. Deepak taps it to cover and takes a single. Good comeback from Morris after going for a six in the first ball of the over. 

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, Very full on off, Rahul milks it to long on for a single.

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, Ohh! Swing and a miss! Morris smartly rolls his finger on this one and takes the pace off this one. It is bowled outside off, Rahul swings hard at it but the ball turns off the rough ad misses the bat and stumps on its way to the keeper.

Chris Morris to Deepak Hooda, FIFTY FOR HOODA! This has been a brute of an innings from Hooda. He has been touted as a star, power hitter. At times he has failed to deliver but he has started the season with a bang!  Length ball on off, Hooda strokes it to cover and gets to his milestone with a single. 

Chris Morris to Deepak Hooda, Good running! Hooda moves to 49 with that. Full on the pads, Hooda flicks it away from fine leg and gets a brace.

Chris Morris to Deepak Hooda, ! WOW! That is some hit! The most expensive player in this league has been welcomed with a monstrous hit to his new spell. Full, in the slot for Hooda. He gets under it and smokes it over the cow corner fence for a biggie. Jeez! This guy is hitting them like a golf ball.

Chris Morris is back on.

Mustafizur Rahman to Deepak Hooda, Slower ball. It is on a length outside off, Hooda shuffles inside his crease and punches it to sweeper cover and keeps the strike. 5 overs remain in this innings and Punjab are well on their way for a 220 or above total. They are 161/2 now.

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, Outside off and wide. Rahul late cuts it to third man for a single.

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, ! Rahul is continuing the momentum here. Short on the body, Rahul hooks it over fine leg for a biggie. This is superb batting from Punjab! Outrageous!

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, Misses out this time. This was wide and outside off. Enough width to make it punish but Rahul cuts it and finds point. A loud grunt from the Punjab skipper.

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, Length ball wide outside off. Rahul cuts it through point for a brace.

Mustafizur Rahman to Deepak Hooda, IN THE AIR AND ! Buttler, who was running behind, called for the catch and drops it. How costly will this be? Catches win matches and Rajasthan have dropped a few. That should have been Stokes' catch who was coming in. Full around off, Hooda cannot reach it as he looks to smack it over long off. Buttler runs behind from short extra cover. Stokes comes running from long off. Buttler calls for the catch though it is tougher for him. He dives, gets h

Mustafizur Rahman is back on.

Shreyas Gopal to Deepak Hooda, Single to end the over. Brings up the 150 for Punjab in just the 14th over. Darted very full on off, Hooda hits it to long on and keeps the strike. He moves to 39 off just 15 balls. 20 from this over as well. Tough, very tough start to the season for Shreyas. 40 from the last 2 overs.

Shreyas Gopal to Deepak Hooda, ! New ball please because this one is out of here. This is the biggest of the lot. This folks is a monster. Floated on off, Hooda demolishes it over the long off fence for a mammoth hit. 

Shreyas Gopal to Deepak Hooda, Darted quicker on leg. Hooda paddles it but finds short fine leg.

Shreyas Gopal to Deepak Hooda, ! This time through the on side. He did not time it well but got enough to send it over the fielder's head. Brings up the 50-run stand in no time. Floated on middle, Hooda slog sweeps it but does not time it well. He powers it enough to send it over the jumping deep mid-wicket fielder for a biggie. Hooda had his heart in his mouth for a moment there. 

Shreyas Gopal to Deepak Hooda, ! Hooda is murdering that ball! Flighted on off, Hooda uses his long reach and long arms to smash it over the long off fence. Into the second tier for a massive hit.

Shreyas Gopal to KL Rahul, Flat on middle, Rahul knocks it to long on for one.

Strategic Time Out! The Gayle-storm has arrived in the 2021 season and the first stop is at Mumbai. Chris Gayle is finding his groove here and has formed a solid stand with skipper, KL Rahul. The Punjab captain is happy to play the second fiddle as Gayle is spreading his wings. Rajasthan have had chances to break this stand but their fielding has been sloppy. Ben Stokes has been guilty of dropping a catch and so far it is looking costly. Can Sanju Samson find a way to end this stand?

Shivam Dube to Deepak Hooda, ! WHAT A HIT! Poor start for Dube to his Rajasthan career. He goes for 20 in his first over. Full outside off, Hooda stretches and smashes it over extra cover for a biggie. Hooda is looking in the mood and would look to do what Tewatia did last season.

Shivam Dube to Deepak Hooda, Short and wide outside off, Hooda cuts but finds the fielder.

Shivam Dube to Deepak Hooda, ! SMOKED! Dube is being toyed by the two batters in his first over. A low full toss on middle. Hooda gets under it and deposits it high and handsome over mid-wicket for a biggie.

Shivam Dube to KL Rahul, Full on middle and leg, Rahul milks it to long on for one.

Shivam Dube to KL Rahul, FIFTY FOR KL RAHUL! What a tremendous start for the Punjab skipper. He has made a habit of making the orange cap his own and he has started really well again. ! That was six the moment it left the bat! Rahul did not even bother moving. Dube bowls full but delivers right into the slot for Rahul. The Punjab skipper stands and smokes it over Dube's head for a biggie.

Shivam Dube is into the attack.

Shivam Dube to Deepak Hooda, Dube starts with a length ball on off. Hooda comes inside the line of the stump and lofts it to deep mid-wicket for one. 

Shreyas Gopal to Deepak Hooda, Short delivery on off, Hooda pushes it through covers for a single.

Shreyas Gopal to Deepak Hooda, ! Nicely swept! On middle, Hooda sweeps it over mid-wicket for a boundary.

Shreyas Gopal to Deepak Hooda, Flighted delivery on middle, Hooda comes down the track and looks to flick but misses it to get hit on the pads.

Shreyas Gopal to KL Rahul, Loopy delivery on middle, Rahul pushes it through mid on for a single.

Shreyas Gopal to Deepak Hooda, Full on middle, Hooda drives it through mid on for a run.

Change in bowling. Riyan Parag has done his job of getting the breakthrough so Sanju Samson has reintroduced Shreyas Gopal into the attack.

Shreyas Gopal to KL Rahul, Floated delivery on middle, Rahul punches it through mid on for a single.

Rahul Tewatia to KL Rahul, On middle, Rahul pushes it through point for a single. 13 runs have come from the over!

Rahul Tewatia to KL Rahul, ! That is huge! Tossed up ball on middle, Rahul comes down the track and lofts it over the bowler's head for a maximum. 100 up for Punjab!

Rahul Tewatia to KL Rahul, Full delivery on off, Rahul drives it through covers. The batsmen get two runs.

Rahul Tewatia to Deepak Hooda, Floated delivery on middle, Hooda drives it through mid on for a run.

Stokes is off the field getting his finger strapped.

Rahul Tewatia to KL Rahul, Short delivery on middle, Rahul pulls it through square leg for a single.

Rahul Tewatia to KL Rahul, Flighted delivery on middle, Rahul flicks it through mid-wicket for a couple.

Riyan Parag to Deepak Hooda, Loopy delivery on off, Hooda punches it to covers.

Who will walk out to bat now? It is going to be Deepak Hooda!

Riyan Parag to Chris Gayle, ! CAUGHT! Parag gets the breakthrough! Floated delivery on middle, Gayle lofts it over mid on but does not get the distance on it. It goes towards long on where Ben Stokes comes forward and takes a good low catch.

Riyan Parag to KL Rahul, Short delivery on middle, Rahul pulls it through mid on for a run.

Riyan Parag to Chris Gayle, Full on off, Gayle drives it through mid off for a single.

Riyan Parag to KL Rahul, Tossed up delivery on off, Rahul pushes it through covers for a single.

Change in bowling. 7th bowler into the action now and it is Riyan Parag.

Riyan Parag to KL Rahul, ! That is smashed! Short delivery on off, Rahul punches it through covers for a boundary.

Rahul Tewatia to Chris Gayle, ! Gayle makes him pay! Floated delivery on middle, Gayle plays a slog sweep over long on for a maximum.

Rahul Tewatia to Chris Gayle, ! Short delivery on middle, Gayle pulls it uppishly towards the bowler where Tewatia tries to take the catch but spills it.

Rahul Tewatia to Chris Gayle, ! Cracking shot! Short ball outside off, Gayle cuts it through point for a boundary.

Rahul Tewatia to Chris Gayle, Short delivery on off, Gayle cuts it to point.

Rahul Tewatia to KL Rahul, Floated delivery on middle, Rahul pushes it through mid on for a single.

Rahul Tewatia to Chris Gayle, Short delivery on off, Gayle punches it through mid off for a single.

Change in bowling. The man who was the star of the 2020 season, Rahul Tewatia is into the attack for the first time.

Ben Stokes to Chris Gayle, Back of a length on off, Gayle looks to smash it but gets an inside edge on it. It goes towards the leg side. The batsmen cross ends.

Ben Stokes to Chris Gayle, Good length delivery on middle, Gayle looks to flick but misses it and gets hit on the pads. The bowler appeals for lbw but the umpire shakes his head.

Ben Stokes to Chris Gayle, BEATEN! Full and outside off, Gayle looks to drive but misses it.

Ben Stokes to Chris Gayle, ! That is hammered! Short delivery on middle, Gayle pulls it over square leg for a maximum.

Ben Stokes to KL Rahul, Length delivery on off, Rahul pushes it through covers for a single.

Change in bowling. The man who made a take that can be game-changing, Ben Stokes is into the attck.

Shreyas Gopal to Chris Gayle, Short again outside off, Gayle cuts it through point. Two runs taken.

Shreyas Gopal to Chris Gayle, ! That is smashed! Short delivery on off, Gayle punches it hard through covers for a boundary.

Shreyas Gopal to KL Rahul, Loopy delivery on middle, Rahul pushes it through mid on for a single.

Shreyas Gopal to KL Rahul, AND ! Tossed up delivery on off, Rahul lofts it over covers but does not get the distance on it. It goes towards the fielder where Ben Stokes tries to take the catch but spills it and concedes a boundary.

Shreyas Gopal to KL Rahul, Floated delivery on middle, Rahul pushes it back towards the bowler.

The field can spread out now and Sanju Samson has called the leg spinner into the action straightaway. Shreyas Gopal is introduced into the attack.

Shreyas Gopal to Chris Gayle, Short delivery on off, Gayle punches it through covers for a single.

Chris Morris to Chris Gayle, Shorter on middle and off, Gayle pulls it to deep mid-wicket and keeps the strike. End of the Powerplay and it is a steady one for Punjab. They are 46/1 at the end of the first phase.

Chris Morris to Chris Gayle, ! Just over! This is out of the middle. Full around off, Gayle swings his bat and gets it enough to get it well over mid on and the ball races to the fence. 

Chris Morris to Chris Gayle, Bouncer around the body! Gayle ducks under it. The Universe Boss has struggled with the short ball lately so not a bad ball. 

Chris Morris to Chris Gayle, Mistimed but muscled! Back of a length delivery around off, Gayle punches it but does not time it well. He gets it over the head of cover and gets a brace. 

Chris Morris to Chris Gayle, Swing, and a miss! Slower delivery which is full and outside off. Gayle looks to smoke it over mid on but misses. 

Chris Morris to Chris Gayle, Full and pacy on the pad. Gayle looks to flick but misses and gets hit on the pad outside the leg stump.

Mustafizur Rahman to Chris Gayle, Quick single from Gayle to end the over. Full and coming in to the southpaw. Gayle uses the angle and plays it to the right of mid on. He scampers for the single. Morris at mid on fails to get the ball cleanly allowing Gayle to come back in with ease. 

Mustafizur Rahman is back on. 1-0-11-0 are his figures so far.

Mustafizur Rahman to Chris Gayle, On off, Gayle plays it to cover.

Mustafizur Rahman to Chris Gayle, ! MUSCLED AWAY! The Universe Boss gets his first boundary of the 2021 season! Slightly shorter around off, it is not a bad ball but Gayle manages to flat-bat it over mid on with enough bat on it. 

Mustafizur Rahman to Chris Gayle, WIDE! The left-hand, right-hand combination troubles Mustafizur as he misses his line and bowls it down the leg side.

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, Another beautiful shot from Rahul for one. Length ball around off, Rahul gets on top of the bounce again and punches it to sweeper cover and gets to the other end. 

Mustafizur Rahman to Chris Gayle, Edgy but away! Mustafizur hits the deck hard around off. Gayle looks to punch it through the off side but it is too close to him. It takes the inside edge and goes to the on side. Rahul calls for a run and Gayle responds too. 

Mustafizur Rahman to Chris Gayle, Good length ball on middle and leg, Gayle keeps it out.

Chris Morris to Chris Gayle, Edgy but away! Gayle gets his first run of the 2021 season! Full and pacy on middle and leg. Gayle looks to defend it towards mid on but closes the face of the bat early. It takes the leading edge and luckily for Punjab, it goes uppishly through the vacant cover region. Gayle takes a single and keeps the strike.

The most expensive buy of the league is into the action now. Chris Morris is introduced into the attack.

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, Slower ball from Morris now. It is full on middle, Rahul flicks it through square leg and takes a single. 

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, WIDE! Morris misses his line and bowls it down the leg side. Rahul looks to guide it fine but misses. Wided by the umpire. 

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, Length ball on off, Rahul defends it with a straight bat.

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, Excellent work from Manan Vohra saves two for his side! Good length delivery around off, Rahul gets on top of the bounce and punches it through cover. Manan Vohra in the deep runs to his left and puts in a dive to pull the ball back inside the rope. A lot of replays are needed to determine if the stop is clean. And after a long watch, it is deemed to be clean. Superb from Manan Vohra. 

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, Good length delivery on off, Rahul taps it to cover and looks for a quick run. He forgot it is the big man, Gayle at the other end. The Universe Boss says no to that risky run.

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, ! Delicate from Rahul! Morris starts with a good length delivery outside off. Rahul waits for it and initially it looks like he has edged it but Rahul has opened the face of the bat and placed it past Ben Stokes at slip and the ball races away to the third man fence.

Chetan Sakariya to Chris Gayle, Length delivery way outside off. Gayle is happy to have the calm before the storm as he leaves this alone as well. Excellent over from young Chetan Sakariya. Just a run of it and the big wicket of Mayank Agarwal.

Chetan Sakariya to Chris Gayle, This one comes back in a lot. Good length ball pitching well outside off. Gayle carefully shoulders arms to it and watches it swing back in a lot on its way to the keeper.

Chris Gayle is the new batsman in.

Chetan Sakariya to Mayank Agarwal, ! CAUGHT BEHIND! Chetan Sakariya gets his first wicket in this league and what a moment for him. A moment he will never forget for the rest of his life. He was a net bowler for Bangalore in the previous edition but now he is in the middle of the action and amongst the big boys. To mark this occasion he has got the big wicket of Mayank Agarwal! Full and wide outside off, Mayank decides to clear his front leg and slog this to the off side. The idea seems

Chetan Sakariya to KL Rahul, Very good shot but just for one. Good length delivery around off, Rahul gets on top of the bounce and plays a gorgeous cover drive. Sanju though has kept a man in the deep there. So just a single. 

Chetan Sakariya to KL Rahul, A very excited appeal from Chetan Sakariya. So much so that he falls while appealing. The umpire though is unmoved. On the pads, Rahul looks to flick but misses it as it comes in a bit. Sakariya appeals and tumbles onto the ground but nothing from the umpire. 

Chetan Sakariya to KL Rahul, Good length delivery around off. Rahul defends it to the off side.

Mustafizur Rahman to Mayank Agarwal, ! Boundary to finish the over! Mustafizur changes his length and gets punished. He goes full on middle, Mayank shows lovely wrist work and hand-eye coordination. He whips it away from the diving short mid-wicket fielder and well away from mid on for a boundary. Excellent shot to finish the over. 

Mustafizur Rahman to Mayank Agarwal, Mustafizur continues to hit the length consistently in his first over. It is on middle, Mayank clips it to the right of mid on and gets a brace.

Mustafizur Rahman to Mayank Agarwal, WIDE! Mustafizur Rahman misses his line and bowls this down the leg side. Mayank looks to flick but misses. Wided by the umpire. 

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, Good length ball bowled at pace. Mustafizur looks in a good rhythm. Rahul clips it to the leg side and rotates the strike.

Mustafizur Rahman to Mayank Agarwal, Length ball on middle and leg, Mayank plays it to the on side and gets away from the danger end.

Mustafizur Rahman to Mayank Agarwal, Good ball! Appeal for LBW but turned down. A very close call this but the ball seems to have been doing too much. Good length ball pitching on middle. It comes back in with pace. Mayank looks to defend but misses and gets hit high on the pad. There is a huge appeal but the umpire is unmoved. Sanju thinks about the review but does not opt for it. Well...well...well. Replays roll in later and it shows it was going to hit the top of middle stump. Rajasthan

Mustafizur Rahman to Mayank Agarwal, Mustafizur starts his Rajasthan career with a good length ball on off. Mayank places it away from short third man and away from the fielder at deep point. The batters take two.

Mustafizur Rahman to bowl from the other end.

Chetan Sakariya to Mayank Agarwal, Good bowling and good running as well. Length ball on middle and it comes back in. Mayank taps it towards Morris at mid off and calls for the run straightaway. KL Rahul goes with the call. Morris has a shy at the bowler's end but misses.

Chetan Sakariya to Mayank Agarwal, Much better from Chetan Sakariya! He gets the ball to curve back in and cramps Mayank for room. It is on middle and leg. Mayank Agarwal dabs it to short third man.

Chetan Sakariya to Mayank Agarwal, ! Mayank Agarwal gets off the mark in style! A kind gift from the debutant to Mayank first up. Short and wide outside off. Mayank says thank you very much and smacks it through covers for a boundary.

Chetan Sakariya to KL Rahul, Rahul and Punjab get their first run of the season. Sakariya pulls his length back and bowls it around off. Once again this ball comes back in to Rahul. The Punjab skipper, hops and taps it to the side of the pitch on the off side and takes a quick single. 

Chetan Sakariya to KL Rahul,Sakariya starts right on the money. A little bit of inward movement to the right-hander. It is full and on off. Rahul walks inside the line of it and pushes it to mid on. 

We are all set for the action to begin!  The umpires make their way out to the middle. Rajasthan players are in a huddle, with their young skipper, Sanju Samson giving final words of motivation before his side takes the field. Punjab skipper, KL Rahul strides out with his longtime pal, Mayank Agarwal to open the innings. Debutant, Chetan Sakariya is all set to get into the thick of action straightaway. He will operate with the new ball first up.  

Rajasthan (Playing XI) - Jos Buttler, Manan Vohra, Ben Stokes, Sanju Samson (C/WK), Riyan Parag, Shivam Dube, Rahul Tewatia, Chris Morris, Shreyas Gopal, Chetan Sakariya, Mustafizur Rahman.

Punjab (Playing XI) - KL Rahul (C), Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran (WK), Deepak Hooda, Shahrukh Khan, Jhye Richardson, Murugan Ashwin, Riley Meredith, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh.

Punjab's Nicholas Pooran is caught for a chat. Pooran says that he is very happy to be back in India and hopes to have a wonderful season. Tells everyone is excited in the squad. Pooran tells he is looking to improve and be himself. Pooran says they need to focus on doing the right thing. On Gayle, Pooran hopes that they can witness a Gaylestorm tonight. 

Punjab skipper, KL Rahul says that everyone wants to bowl first on this venue but now they will have to play good cricket now and the results will follow. Rahul tells it is about the team coming together. Rahul says they felt they needed to fix some positions and is happy with the auctions. Rahul informs Meredith, Richardson, Gayle and Pooran are the four foreigners playing this game. 

Sanju Samson, Rajasthan skipper, says they will bowl first. Adds that they have a strong team as they have bought some good players in the auction. Informs that Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Chris Morris and Mustafizur Rahman are their four overseas players. Ends by saying that he is excited about the role.

TOSS - It is time to beat the Monday blues as Sanju Samson is out in the middle for the first time as a skipper for the toss. Punjab captain, KL Rahul is out as well along with the match referee. Sanju Samson has the coin in hand. Up it goes. Rahul calls Tails but it comes down as  Heads. RAJASTHAN OPT TO BOWL!

PITCH REPORT - Simon Doull is the pitch master for the day. Doull says the pitch is the same that was used in the game between Chennai and Delhi. Tells Delhi bowled full and that made it hard to hit while Chennai tried to do the same, the dew played a factor. Tells that is the reason sides will look to choose bowl first. Adds that the pitch is great to bat.

6 teams have played their opening games now. Time for the remaining two to go against each other and kick off their campaign. Hello and welcome to the first Monday of the season and to game no. 4. Sanju Samson kick starts his captaincy career with Rajasthan against another young but a bit more experienced captain in KL Rahul. Rajasthan will hope that a new skipper at helm can also see them move over the disappointment of 2020 campaign. The 2008 champions will miss the services of Archer but will

We are back for the chase! The Punjab players are in a huddle with their skipper giving final words of motivation for his troops. 

Being put into bat, Punjab did not get off to a good start as they lost Mayank Agarwal early. Gayle struggled initially but that was just the calm before the storm. Gayle then started to find his flow while Rahul was going around his merry ways. When Gayle departed on 40, it looked like Rajasthan would have some respite. That was just a false alarm as Hooda came out smelling blood. He showed why he is so highly rated in the Indian domestic circuit and regarded as one of the fiercest hitters. Hoo

So Rajasthan have a mammoth task in hand if they are to avoid defeat in their opening game. They chased down a similar total last season.  A game that was coming out of age game for Rahul Tewatia. Different pitch, different venue and certainly different bowling attack for Punjab. Will Rajasthan be able to repeat their last season's heroics? Punjab will certainly hope that is not the case. The batters have done their job, now can the bowlers deliver? Join us for the chase to find out.

One of the star for Punjab with the bat, Deepak Hooda is caught for a quick chat. He says that he is happy with the innings. Adds that it was planned that he will bat at No. 4. Mentions that he bats in this position in domestic cricket. Ends by saying that they should be able to defend this total.

A tough outing with the ball for the Rajasthan bowlers. On a pitch that is superb to bat on and when the batters are going after the bowling, the bowlers need support from the fielders but unfortunately, they did not get that. The three batters who caused the most destruction, Rahul, Gayle and Hooda, were all dropped. 8 bowlers were used by Sanju Samson and barring Riyan Parag and debutant Chetan Sakariya, everyone else went for at least 10 rpo. Special mentions to Chetan Sakariya. The debutant

Wow! What a batting display we have witnessed here in the first innings! Take a bow, KL Rahul! He has once again lit up the tournament with his presence and the Punjab skipper has started the season leading the pack. It was a masterclass in power-hitting from the Punjab batters! A tremendous final over from debutant Chetan Sakariya though has minimized a lot of damage and kept Rajasthan in this game with an outside chance. Sanju Samson's captaincy debut has started with a torrid first half and h

Chetan Sakariya to KL Rahul, ! Boundary to finish the over. Exciting but expensive first over for Chetan Sakariya! He misses his line and bowls it on the pads. It is quick from Sakariya. Rahul clips it fine down the leg side. Away from the diving, Sanju Samson and the ball races to the fence.

Chetan Sakariya to Jhye Richardson, ! CAUGHT! Sakariya gets his third wicket! Full on middle, Richardson lofts it over mid off but does not get the distance on it. It goes towards long off where Chris Morris takes a comfortable catch. PUNJAB END WITH 221/6!

Chetan Sakariya to Jhye Richardson, Back of a length outside off, Richardson looks to smash it but misses it.

Chetan Sakariya to Shahrukh Khan, Short delivery on middle, Khan pulls it over mid-wicket for a single.

Chetan Sakariya to Shahrukh Khan, Full and outside off, Khan looks to go big but misses it.

Who will walk out to bat now? It is Jhye Richardson!

Chetan Sakariya to KL Rahul, ! CAUGHT! Excellent catch by Rahul Tewatia! Full on middle, Rahul lofts it over mid-wicket but does not get the distance on it. It goes towards the fielder where Tewatia tries to take the catch but realises that the momentum pushes him beyond the boundary. He comes back and takes the catch.

Chetan Sakariya to KL Rahul, ! That is hammered! Full delivery on off, Rahul lofts it over covers for a boundary.

Ben Stokes to KL Rahul, ! Good shot! Full delivery on off, Rahul lofts it over covers for a boundary.

Mustafizur Rahman to Shahrukh Khan, ! That is smashed! Short delivery on middle, Shahrukh Khan pulls it over square leg for a boundary. 15 runs from the over!

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, Back of a length on off, Rahul punches it through covers for a single.

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, Short delivery on off, Rahul cuts it through point. Two runs taken.

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, ! Nice shot! Full delivery on off, Rahul lofts it over covers for a boundary.

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, WIDE! Full and wide outside off, Rahul cannot reach to this one.

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, NO BALL! Full and outside off, Rahul looks to play the reverse scoop but misses it. The third umpire calls it a no ball as Rahman oversteps!

Mustafizur Rahman to Shahrukh Khan, Short delivery outside off, Khan pushes it uppishly towards long off for a single.

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, Short delivery outside off, Rahul looks to cut but gets an outside edge. It goes towards third man where it falls short of him. The batsmen take a single.

Mustafizur Rahman to bowl the penultimate over of the innings.

Chris Morris to Nicholas Pooran, ! That is a stunning catch from Chetan Sakariya! Short delivery on leg, Morris pulls it uppishly towards short fine leg where Chetan Sakariya moves to his left, dives and takes an excellent catch. The umpires want to check whether he has taken the catch cleany. The third umpire wants to check the replays. Replays show that Sakariya did not grass it and has done well to take it.

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, Full delivery outside off, Rahul drives it through covers for a single.

Chris Morris to Deepak Hooda, ! CAUGHT! Morris gets his first wicket! Length delivery on middle, Hooda looks to loft it over mid on but does not get the distance on it. It goes towards long on where Riyan Parag takes a comfortable catch. Deepak Hooda has played a brilliant innings here.

Who will walk out to bat now? It will be Nicholas Pooran!

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, ! That is clobbered! Short ball on middle, Rahul pulls it over mid-wicket for a biggie.

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, Back of a length on middle, Rahul looks to play the paddle scoop but gets an inside edge. It goes towards fine leg for a single.

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, ! Nice improvisation! Length delivery on middle, Rahul plays a paddle scoop over fine leg for a boundary.

Chetan Sakariya to Deepak Hooda, ! 15 runs from the over! Full delivery outside off, Hooda lofts it over point for a boundary.

Chetan Sakariya to Deepak Hooda, NO BALL AND ! Full delivery on off, Hooda lofts it over the bowler's head for a boundary. The third umpire calls it a no ball as Sakariya oversteps!

Chetan Sakariya to Deepak Hooda, ! That is hammered! Short delivery on leg, Hooda pulls it over fine leg for a boundary.

Chetan Sakariya to Deepak Hooda, Four!

Chetan Sakariya to Deepak Hooda, PLAY AND A MISS! Yorker outside off, Hooda looks to dig it out but misses it.

Chetan Sakariya to KL Rahul, Short ball on off, Rahul punches it towards point for a single.

Chetan Sakariya to Deepak Hooda, Full delivery on middle, Hooda looks to slog at it but gets it off the inner half of the bat. It goes towards fine leg. The batsmen cross ends.

Chetan Sakariya to Deepak Hooda, PLAY AND A MISS! Short and outside off, Hooda looks to cut but misses it.

STRATEGIC TIME-! Punjab have been going strong. KL Rahul and Deepak Hooda are putting on a great partnership here where Hooda has been the aggressor. On the other hand, Rajasthan bowlers are not finding any answers to Punjab's aggressive batting. They will try to restrict Punjab under 220.

Chris Morris to Deepak Hooda, Morris hits the deck hard and bfollows Hooda outside off. Deepak taps it to cover and takes a single. Good comeback from Morris after going for a six in the first ball of the over. 

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, Very full on off, Rahul milks it to long on for a single.

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, Ohh! Swing and a miss! Morris smartly rolls his finger on this one and takes the pace off this one. It is bowled outside off, Rahul swings hard at it but the ball turns off the rough ad misses the bat and stumps on its way to the keeper.

Chris Morris to Deepak Hooda, FIFTY FOR HOODA! This has been a brute of an innings from Hooda. He has been touted as a star, power hitter. At times he has failed to deliver but he has started the season with a bang!  Length ball on off, Hooda strokes it to cover and gets to his milestone with a single. 

Chris Morris to Deepak Hooda, Good running! Hooda moves to 49 with that. Full on the pads, Hooda flicks it away from fine leg and gets a brace.

Chris Morris to Deepak Hooda, ! WOW! That is some hit! The most expensive player in this league has been welcomed with a monstrous hit to his new spell. Full, in the slot for Hooda. He gets under it and smokes it over the cow corner fence for a biggie. Jeez! This guy is hitting them like a golf ball.

Chris Morris is back on.

Mustafizur Rahman to Deepak Hooda, Slower ball. It is on a length outside off, Hooda shuffles inside his crease and punches it to sweeper cover and keeps the strike. 5 overs remain in this innings and Punjab are well on their way for a 220 or above total. They are 161/2 now.

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, Outside off and wide. Rahul late cuts it to third man for a single.

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, ! Rahul is continuing the momentum here. Short on the body, Rahul hooks it over fine leg for a biggie. This is superb batting from Punjab! Outrageous!

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, Misses out this time. This was wide and outside off. Enough width to make it punish but Rahul cuts it and finds point. A loud grunt from the Punjab skipper.

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, Length ball wide outside off. Rahul cuts it through point for a brace.

Mustafizur Rahman to Deepak Hooda, IN THE AIR AND ! Buttler, who was running behind, called for the catch and drops it. How costly will this be? Catches win matches and Rajasthan have dropped a few. That should have been Stokes' catch who was coming in. Full around off, Hooda cannot reach it as he looks to smack it over long off. Buttler runs behind from short extra cover. Stokes comes running from long off. Buttler calls for the catch though it is tougher for him. He dives, gets h

Mustafizur Rahman is back on.

Shreyas Gopal to Deepak Hooda, Single to end the over. Brings up the 150 for Punjab in just the 14th over. Darted very full on off, Hooda hits it to long on and keeps the strike. He moves to 39 off just 15 balls. 20 from this over as well. Tough, very tough start to the season for Shreyas. 40 from the last 2 overs.

Shreyas Gopal to Deepak Hooda, ! New ball please because this one is out of here. This is the biggest of the lot. This folks is a monster. Floated on off, Hooda demolishes it over the long off fence for a mammoth hit. 

Shreyas Gopal to Deepak Hooda, Darted quicker on leg. Hooda paddles it but finds short fine leg.

Shreyas Gopal to Deepak Hooda, ! This time through the on side. He did not time it well but got enough to send it over the fielder's head. Brings up the 50-run stand in no time. Floated on middle, Hooda slog sweeps it but does not time it well. He powers it enough to send it over the jumping deep mid-wicket fielder for a biggie. Hooda had his heart in his mouth for a moment there. 

Shreyas Gopal to Deepak Hooda, ! Hooda is murdering that ball! Flighted on off, Hooda uses his long reach and long arms to smash it over the long off fence. Into the second tier for a massive hit.

Shreyas Gopal to KL Rahul, Flat on middle, Rahul knocks it to long on for one.

Strategic Time Out! The Gayle-storm has arrived in the 2021 season and the first stop is at Mumbai. Chris Gayle is finding his groove here and has formed a solid stand with skipper, KL Rahul. The Punjab captain is happy to play the second fiddle as Gayle is spreading his wings. Rajasthan have had chances to break this stand but their fielding has been sloppy. Ben Stokes has been guilty of dropping a catch and so far it is looking costly. Can Sanju Samson find a way to end this stand?

Shivam Dube to Deepak Hooda, ! WHAT A HIT! Poor start for Dube to his Rajasthan career. He goes for 20 in his first over. Full outside off, Hooda stretches and smashes it over extra cover for a biggie. Hooda is looking in the mood and would look to do what Tewatia did last season.

Shivam Dube to Deepak Hooda, Short and wide outside off, Hooda cuts but finds the fielder.

Shivam Dube to Deepak Hooda, ! SMOKED! Dube is being toyed by the two batters in his first over. A low full toss on middle. Hooda gets under it and deposits it high and handsome over mid-wicket for a biggie.

Shivam Dube to KL Rahul, Full on middle and leg, Rahul milks it to long on for one.

Shivam Dube to KL Rahul, FIFTY FOR KL RAHUL! What a tremendous start for the Punjab skipper. He has made a habit of making the orange cap his own and he has started really well again. ! That was six the moment it left the bat! Rahul did not even bother moving. Dube bowls full but delivers right into the slot for Rahul. The Punjab skipper stands and smokes it over Dube's head for a biggie.

Shivam Dube is into the attack.

Shivam Dube to Deepak Hooda, Dube starts with a length ball on off. Hooda comes inside the line of the stump and lofts it to deep mid-wicket for one. 

Shreyas Gopal to Deepak Hooda, Short delivery on off, Hooda pushes it through covers for a single.

Shreyas Gopal to Deepak Hooda, ! Nicely swept! On middle, Hooda sweeps it over mid-wicket for a boundary.

Shreyas Gopal to Deepak Hooda, Flighted delivery on middle, Hooda comes down the track and looks to flick but misses it to get hit on the pads.

Shreyas Gopal to KL Rahul, Loopy delivery on middle, Rahul pushes it through mid on for a single.

Shreyas Gopal to Deepak Hooda, Full on middle, Hooda drives it through mid on for a run.

Change in bowling. Riyan Parag has done his job of getting the breakthrough so Sanju Samson has reintroduced Shreyas Gopal into the attack.

Shreyas Gopal to KL Rahul, Floated delivery on middle, Rahul punches it through mid on for a single.

Rahul Tewatia to KL Rahul, On middle, Rahul pushes it through point for a single. 13 runs have come from the over!

Rahul Tewatia to KL Rahul, ! That is huge! Tossed up ball on middle, Rahul comes down the track and lofts it over the bowler's head for a maximum. 100 up for Punjab!

Rahul Tewatia to KL Rahul, Full delivery on off, Rahul drives it through covers. The batsmen get two runs.

Rahul Tewatia to Deepak Hooda, Floated delivery on middle, Hooda drives it through mid on for a run.

Stokes is off the field getting his finger strapped.

Rahul Tewatia to KL Rahul, Short delivery on middle, Rahul pulls it through square leg for a single.

Rahul Tewatia to KL Rahul, Flighted delivery on middle, Rahul flicks it through mid-wicket for a couple.

Riyan Parag to Deepak Hooda, Loopy delivery on off, Hooda punches it to covers.

Who will walk out to bat now? It is going to be Deepak Hooda!

Riyan Parag to Chris Gayle, ! CAUGHT! Parag gets the breakthrough! Floated delivery on middle, Gayle lofts it over mid on but does not get the distance on it. It goes towards long on where Ben Stokes comes forward and takes a good low catch.

Riyan Parag to KL Rahul, Short delivery on middle, Rahul pulls it through mid on for a run.

Riyan Parag to Chris Gayle, Full on off, Gayle drives it through mid off for a single.

Riyan Parag to KL Rahul, Tossed up delivery on off, Rahul pushes it through covers for a single.

Change in bowling. 7th bowler into the action now and it is Riyan Parag.

Riyan Parag to KL Rahul, ! That is smashed! Short delivery on off, Rahul punches it through covers for a boundary.

Rahul Tewatia to Chris Gayle, ! Gayle makes him pay! Floated delivery on middle, Gayle plays a slog sweep over long on for a maximum.

Rahul Tewatia to Chris Gayle, ! Short delivery on middle, Gayle pulls it uppishly towards the bowler where Tewatia tries to take the catch but spills it.

Rahul Tewatia to Chris Gayle, ! Cracking shot! Short ball outside off, Gayle cuts it through point for a boundary.

Rahul Tewatia to Chris Gayle, Short delivery on off, Gayle cuts it to point.

Rahul Tewatia to KL Rahul, Floated delivery on middle, Rahul pushes it through mid on for a single.

Rahul Tewatia to Chris Gayle, Short delivery on off, Gayle punches it through mid off for a single.

Change in bowling. The man who was the star of the 2020 season, Rahul Tewatia is into the attack for the first time.

Ben Stokes to Chris Gayle, Back of a length on off, Gayle looks to smash it but gets an inside edge on it. It goes towards the leg side. The batsmen cross ends.

Ben Stokes to Chris Gayle, Good length delivery on middle, Gayle looks to flick but misses it and gets hit on the pads. The bowler appeals for lbw but the umpire shakes his head.

Ben Stokes to Chris Gayle, BEATEN! Full and outside off, Gayle looks to drive but misses it.

Ben Stokes to Chris Gayle, ! That is hammered! Short delivery on middle, Gayle pulls it over square leg for a maximum.

Ben Stokes to KL Rahul, Length delivery on off, Rahul pushes it through covers for a single.

Change in bowling. The man who made a take that can be game-changing, Ben Stokes is into the attck.

Shreyas Gopal to Chris Gayle, Short again outside off, Gayle cuts it through point. Two runs taken.

Shreyas Gopal to Chris Gayle, ! That is smashed! Short delivery on off, Gayle punches it hard through covers for a boundary.

Shreyas Gopal to KL Rahul, Loopy delivery on middle, Rahul pushes it through mid on for a single.

Shreyas Gopal to KL Rahul, AND ! Tossed up delivery on off, Rahul lofts it over covers but does not get the distance on it. It goes towards the fielder where Ben Stokes tries to take the catch but spills it and concedes a boundary.

Shreyas Gopal to KL Rahul, Floated delivery on middle, Rahul pushes it back towards the bowler.

The field can spread out now and Sanju Samson has called the leg spinner into the action straightaway. Shreyas Gopal is introduced into the attack.

Shreyas Gopal to Chris Gayle, Short delivery on off, Gayle punches it through covers for a single.

Chris Morris to Chris Gayle, Shorter on middle and off, Gayle pulls it to deep mid-wicket and keeps the strike. End of the Powerplay and it is a steady one for Punjab. They are 46/1 at the end of the first phase.

Chris Morris to Chris Gayle, ! Just over! This is out of the middle. Full around off, Gayle swings his bat and gets it enough to get it well over mid on and the ball races to the fence. 

Chris Morris to Chris Gayle, Bouncer around the body! Gayle ducks under it. The Universe Boss has struggled with the short ball lately so not a bad ball. 

Chris Morris to Chris Gayle, Mistimed but muscled! Back of a length delivery around off, Gayle punches it but does not time it well. He gets it over the head of cover and gets a brace. 

Chris Morris to Chris Gayle, Swing, and a miss! Slower delivery which is full and outside off. Gayle looks to smoke it over mid on but misses. 

Chris Morris to Chris Gayle, Full and pacy on the pad. Gayle looks to flick but misses and gets hit on the pad outside the leg stump.

Mustafizur Rahman to Chris Gayle, Quick single from Gayle to end the over. Full and coming in to the southpaw. Gayle uses the angle and plays it to the right of mid on. He scampers for the single. Morris at mid on fails to get the ball cleanly allowing Gayle to come back in with ease. 

Mustafizur Rahman is back on. 1-0-11-0 are his figures so far.

Mustafizur Rahman to Chris Gayle, On off, Gayle plays it to cover.

Mustafizur Rahman to Chris Gayle, ! MUSCLED AWAY! The Universe Boss gets his first boundary of the 2021 season! Slightly shorter around off, it is not a bad ball but Gayle manages to flat-bat it over mid on with enough bat on it. 

Mustafizur Rahman to Chris Gayle, WIDE! The left-hand, right-hand combination troubles Mustafizur as he misses his line and bowls it down the leg side.

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, Another beautiful shot from Rahul for one. Length ball around off, Rahul gets on top of the bounce again and punches it to sweeper cover and gets to the other end. 

Mustafizur Rahman to Chris Gayle, Edgy but away! Mustafizur hits the deck hard around off. Gayle looks to punch it through the off side but it is too close to him. It takes the inside edge and goes to the on side. Rahul calls for a run and Gayle responds too. 

Mustafizur Rahman to Chris Gayle, Good length ball on middle and leg, Gayle keeps it out.

Chris Morris to Chris Gayle, Edgy but away! Gayle gets his first run of the 2021 season! Full and pacy on middle and leg. Gayle looks to defend it towards mid on but closes the face of the bat early. It takes the leading edge and luckily for Punjab, it goes uppishly through the vacant cover region. Gayle takes a single and keeps the strike.

The most expensive buy of the league is into the action now. Chris Morris is introduced into the attack.

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, Slower ball from Morris now. It is full on middle, Rahul flicks it through square leg and takes a single. 

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, WIDE! Morris misses his line and bowls it down the leg side. Rahul looks to guide it fine but misses. Wided by the umpire. 

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, Length ball on off, Rahul defends it with a straight bat.

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, Excellent work from Manan Vohra saves two for his side! Good length delivery around off, Rahul gets on top of the bounce and punches it through cover. Manan Vohra in the deep runs to his left and puts in a dive to pull the ball back inside the rope. A lot of replays are needed to determine if the stop is clean. And after a long watch, it is deemed to be clean. Superb from Manan Vohra. 

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, Good length delivery on off, Rahul taps it to cover and looks for a quick run. He forgot it is the big man, Gayle at the other end. The Universe Boss says no to that risky run.

Chris Morris to KL Rahul, ! Delicate from Rahul! Morris starts with a good length delivery outside off. Rahul waits for it and initially it looks like he has edged it but Rahul has opened the face of the bat and placed it past Ben Stokes at slip and the ball races away to the third man fence.

Chetan Sakariya to Chris Gayle, Length delivery way outside off. Gayle is happy to have the calm before the storm as he leaves this alone as well. Excellent over from young Chetan Sakariya. Just a run of it and the big wicket of Mayank Agarwal.

Chetan Sakariya to Chris Gayle, This one comes back in a lot. Good length ball pitching well outside off. Gayle carefully shoulders arms to it and watches it swing back in a lot on its way to the keeper.

Chris Gayle is the new batsman in.

Chetan Sakariya to Mayank Agarwal, ! CAUGHT BEHIND! Chetan Sakariya gets his first wicket in this league and what a moment for him. A moment he will never forget for the rest of his life. He was a net bowler for Bangalore in the previous edition but now he is in the middle of the action and amongst the big boys. To mark this occasion he has got the big wicket of Mayank Agarwal! Full and wide outside off, Mayank decides to clear his front leg and slog this to the off side. The idea seems

Chetan Sakariya to KL Rahul, Very good shot but just for one. Good length delivery around off, Rahul gets on top of the bounce and plays a gorgeous cover drive. Sanju though has kept a man in the deep there. So just a single. 

Chetan Sakariya to KL Rahul, A very excited appeal from Chetan Sakariya. So much so that he falls while appealing. The umpire though is unmoved. On the pads, Rahul looks to flick but misses it as it comes in a bit. Sakariya appeals and tumbles onto the ground but nothing from the umpire. 

Chetan Sakariya to KL Rahul, Good length delivery around off. Rahul defends it to the off side.

Mustafizur Rahman to Mayank Agarwal, ! Boundary to finish the over! Mustafizur changes his length and gets punished. He goes full on middle, Mayank shows lovely wrist work and hand-eye coordination. He whips it away from the diving short mid-wicket fielder and well away from mid on for a boundary. Excellent shot to finish the over. 

Mustafizur Rahman to Mayank Agarwal, Mustafizur continues to hit the length consistently in his first over. It is on middle, Mayank clips it to the right of mid on and gets a brace.

Mustafizur Rahman to Mayank Agarwal, WIDE! Mustafizur Rahman misses his line and bowls this down the leg side. Mayank looks to flick but misses. Wided by the umpire. 

Mustafizur Rahman to KL Rahul, Good length ball bowled at pace. Mustafizur looks in a good rhythm. Rahul clips it to the leg side and rotates the strike.

Mustafizur Rahman to Mayank Agarwal, Length ball on middle and leg, Mayank plays it to the on side and gets away from the danger end.

Mustafizur Rahman to Mayank Agarwal, Good ball! Appeal for LBW but turned down. A very close call this but the ball seems to have been doing too much. Good length ball pitching on middle. It comes back in with pace. Mayank looks to defend but misses and gets hit high on the pad. There is a huge appeal but the umpire is unmoved. Sanju thinks about the review but does not opt for it. Well...well...well. Replays roll in later and it shows it was going to hit the top of middle stump. Rajasthan

Mustafizur Rahman to Mayank Agarwal, Mustafizur starts his Rajasthan career with a good length ball on off. Mayank places it away from short third man and away from the fielder at deep point. The batters take two.

Mustafizur Rahman to bowl from the other end.

Chetan Sakariya to Mayank Agarwal, Good bowling and good running as well. Length ball on middle and it comes back in. Mayank taps it towards Morris at mid off and calls for the run straightaway. KL Rahul goes with the call. Morris has a shy at the bowler's end but misses.

Chetan Sakariya to Mayank Agarwal, Much better from Chetan Sakariya! He gets the ball to curve back in and cramps Mayank for room. It is on middle and leg. Mayank Agarwal dabs it to short third man.

Chetan Sakariya to Mayank Agarwal, ! Mayank Agarwal gets off the mark in style! A kind gift from the debutant to Mayank first up. Short and wide outside off. Mayank says thank you very much and smacks it through covers for a boundary.

Chetan Sakariya to KL Rahul, Rahul and Punjab get their first run of the season. Sakariya pulls his length back and bowls it around off. Once again this ball comes back in to Rahul. The Punjab skipper, hops and taps it to the side of the pitch on the off side and takes a quick single. 

Chetan Sakariya to KL Rahul,Sakariya starts right on the money. A little bit of inward movement to the right-hander. It is full and on off. Rahul walks inside the line of it and pushes it to mid on. 

We are all set for the action to begin!  The umpires make their way out to the middle. Rajasthan players are in a huddle, with their young skipper, Sanju Samson giving final words of motivation before his side takes the field. Punjab skipper, KL Rahul strides out with his longtime pal, Mayank Agarwal to open the innings. Debutant, Chetan Sakariya is all set to get into the thick of action straightaway. He will operate with the new ball first up.  

Rajasthan (Playing XI) - Jos Buttler, Manan Vohra, Ben Stokes, Sanju Samson (C/WK), Riyan Parag, Shivam Dube, Rahul Tewatia, Chris Morris, Shreyas Gopal, Chetan Sakariya, Mustafizur Rahman.

Punjab (Playing XI) - KL Rahul (C), Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran (WK), Deepak Hooda, Shahrukh Khan, Jhye Richardson, Murugan Ashwin, Riley Meredith, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh.

Punjab's Nicholas Pooran is caught for a chat. Pooran says that he is very happy to be back in India and hopes to have a wonderful season. Tells everyone is excited in the squad. Pooran tells he is looking to improve and be himself. Pooran says they need to focus on doing the right thing. On Gayle, Pooran hopes that they can witness a Gaylestorm tonight. 

Punjab skipper, KL Rahul says that everyone wants to bowl first on this venue but now they will have to play good cricket now and the results will follow. Rahul tells it is about the team coming together. Rahul says they felt they needed to fix some positions and is happy with the auctions. Rahul informs Meredith, Richardson, Gayle and Pooran are the four foreigners playing this game. 

Sanju Samson, Rajasthan skipper, says they will bowl first. Adds that they have a strong team as they have bought some good players in the auction. Informs that Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Chris Morris and Mustafizur Rahman are their four overseas players. Ends by saying that he is excited about the role.

TOSS - It is time to beat the Monday blues as Sanju Samson is out in the middle for the first time as a skipper for the toss. Punjab captain, KL Rahul is out as well along with the match referee. Sanju Samson has the coin in hand. Up it goes. Rahul calls Tails but it comes down as  Heads. RAJASTHAN OPT TO BOWL!

PITCH REPORT - Simon Doull is the pitch master for the day. Doull says the pitch is the same that was used in the game between Chennai and Delhi. Tells Delhi bowled full and that made it hard to hit while Chennai tried to do the same, the dew played a factor. Tells that is the reason sides will look to choose bowl first. Adds that the pitch is great to bat.

6 teams have played their opening games now. Time for the remaining two to go against each other and kick off their campaign. Hello and welcome to the first Monday of the season and to game no. 4. Sanju Samson kick starts his captaincy career with Rajasthan against another young but a bit more experienced captain in KL Rahul. Rajasthan will hope that a new skipper at helm can also see them move over the disappointment of 2020 campaign. The 2008 champions will miss the services of Archer but will