Jaiswal ton powers Rajasthan to big IPL win

Yashasvi Jaiswal struck form with an unbeaten 104 as Rajasthan Royals consolidated their position at the top of the IPL table with a nine-wicket thrashing of Mumbai Indians.

Medium-pace bowler Sandeep Sharma took 5-18 to help restrict Mumbai to 179-9 after Yuzvendra Chahal claimed an IPL first of 200 wickets at Rajasthan’s home ground in Jaipur.

Jaiswal, a left-handed opener whose previous best this season was 39, steered the team home in 18.4 overs in an innings interrupted by rain.

“I enjoyed it from the start, and I made sure I was watching the ball properly and playing proper cricketing shots,” said Jaiswal.

“I’m trying to do what I am doing well. Some days, it comes good, and some days, it doesn’t. I’m not thinking much.”

Rajasthan, who won the inaugural IPL in 2008 under late Australian hero Shane Warne, registered their seventh win in eight matches.

Jaiswal struck his second IPL hundred versus Mumbai. In his 60-ball knock, he smashed nine fours and seven sixes and scored 109 runs, with skipper Sanju Samson, who made 38.

Sharma set up victory in his first-ever five-wicket haul in T20 cricket, taking the spotlight away from Chahal’s remarkable feat and being named man of the match.

Chahal sent back Mohammad Nabi, who was caught and bowled for 23 with his leg spin. He celebrated the achievement with hugs from teammates.

But Chahal was taken for 48 runs in four overs, and Sharma stood out after he took three wickets in the 20th over, including Tilak Varma, who top-scored with 65, and Tim David, who made three.

Chahal was substituted, and Jos Buttler came in as an impact player.

He began with two boundaries in the opening over by skipper Hardik Pandya, who played his landmark 100th IPL match.

Pandya has endured a tough time this season after he replaced veteran Rohit Sharma as skipper, only to be booed by the fans across venues.

“After the game, it’s not the right time to go to the players. Everyone is professional, and they know their roles,” said Pandya.

“What we can do is learn from this game and our mistakes, rectify them, and avoid repeating them.”

The left-handed Jaiswal joined the charge, hitting South African speedster Gerald Coetzee for six and two fours to get the chase underway.

Rajasthan raced to 61-0 in six overs when rain stopped play, and action resumed after 45 minutes.

Piyush Chawla bowled Buttler for 35 after the break, but Jaiswal stood firm and made the chase a cakewalk in the company of Samson.