IPL 2018: We Knew 160 Would be Difficult on this Wicket - Ajinkya Rahane

It wasn’t something that everyone saw coming. The Ajinkya Rahane-led Rajasthan Royals were without their two potential match-winners, Ben Stokes and in-form Jos Buttler.

But they manage to tame the Royal Challengers Bangalore side in style. They beat the visitors by 30 runs in Jaipur.

A timely 80 from Rahul Tripathi at the top ensured a solid platform for the hosts. The skipper chipped in with a 31-ball 33 until Umesh Yadav trapped him in front.

A DRS call couldn’t save ‘Jinx’, as he went back after stitching a 99-run stand with Tripathi. Yadav provided another break-through in the next delivery to get out Sanju Samson for a golden duck.

A 32 off 21 balls from Heinrich Klassen took them to 164/5 and proved to be just enough.

Skipper Virat Kohli was bowled by Krishnappa Gowtham for four, and the trouble began right from the start. Parthiv Patel played another good hand of 33 off 21 balls but was stumped just like the legendary AB de Villiers.

The Proteas great made 53 off 35 balls and kept RCB in the chase. But he received no support from the middle-order, as wickets kept coming for the men in blue.

Rahane on opening with Archer and more

After sealing a 30-run win at a must-win scenario, Rahane felt like a relieved man.

“Definitely much needed victory for us. We knew that 160 would be very difficult on this wicket. Though RCB had a very good batting line up. Credit goes to our bowlers.” he said, reflecting on the game.

Shreyas Gopal bagged four wickets while Gowtham conceded just six from his two overs. Clearly, the skipper praised his men on executing the plan.

“Under pressure, the two leggies did really well. Getting wickets in the middle overs was never easy,” Rahane said as they now have 14 points in their kitty.

The side took a gamble and opened the innings with pacer Jofra Archer, who can play the big ones. The move though back-fired as he perished for a duck in the second over of the game. “I think the intent was to go positive from the start. We felt Jofra at the top of the order could give us a positive start and our batting order would have looked deeper,” Rahane added.