"It was an unnecessary shot" - Sachin Tendulkar disappointed over RR skipper Sanju Samson gifting his wicket during IPL 2022 Qualifier 2
While the Rajasthan Royals (RR) beat the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by seven wickets in IPL 2022 Qualifier 2 on Friday, Sachin Tendulkar expressed disappointment over Sanju Samson throwing his wicket away once again.
The RR skipper contributed 23 off 21 in a chase of 158. He smashed two sixes and a four before dancing down the track to Wanindu Hasaranga and attempting an ugly slog.
He completely missed the ball and was stumped. It was the sixth time in seven T20 innings that the RCB leggie had dismissed Samson and the third time this season.
Although his dismissal did not have any impact on the result of the match, Tendulkar felt Samson needlessly tried to take on the RCB leggie and lost his wicket. Discussing the RR-RCB match on his YouTube channel, he said:
"Sanju ended up playing a couple of really good shots. But the way he got out to Hasaranga, if I am not mistaken for the sixth time, it was an unnecessary shot. He could have avoided that stroke and the game could have finished even earlier."
Although Samson has looked in good touch with the willow in IPL 2022, he has got out after getting starts on a number of occasions. The Kerala-born cricketer has scored 444 runs from 16 matches this season at an average of 29.60.
While the 27-year-old has an impressive strike rate of 147.50, he has crossed the half-century mark only twice.
"The game was more or less decided there" - Sachin Tendulkar on Buttler getting RR off to a blazing start
Admitting that a target of 158 was unlikely to challenge Rajasthan, Tendulkar stated that early wickets could have made life challenging but Jos Buttler did not let that happen.
He elaborated:
"Primarily due to Buttler, RR had crossed 50 in 4.3 overs. The game was more or less decided there, unless Bangalore came back and picked 2-3 wickets in succession. They could have then built pressure by bringing the field in. Hasaranga always claims wickets, so that was a possibility. But Buttler just did not let that happen."
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31-year-old Buttler hammered an unbeaten 106 off 60 balls, smashing 10 fours and six sixes. This was his fourth century of the ongoing season and fifth in the IPL overall.
He featured in a scintillating opening stand of 61 with Yashasvi Jaiswal (21 off 13) in five overs.