Samson's Unbeaten 71 Powers Rajasthan to IPL Playoff Contention

Sanju Samson's scintillating unbeaten 71 off 33 balls propelled Rajasthan Royals to a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants, boosting their chances of reaching the IPL playoffs.

Chasing a challenging target of 197, Samson and Riyan Parag (52* off 34) forged an unbeaten 121-run partnership for the fourth wicket, guiding the Royals to victory with an over to spare. Samson's knock was studded with four sixes, including the winning blow.

Earlier, KL Rahul and Deepak Hooda had provided a solid foundation for Lucknow with a 115-run stand for the third wicket. Rahul scored 76 off 48 balls, while Hooda contributed 50 off 31. However, the Royals bowlers restricted the Super Giants to 196/5, with Trent Boult and Prasidh Krishna claiming two wickets each.

Samson's performance has reignited his hopes of being selected as Rishabh Pant's backup wicketkeeper for the T20 World Cup. His aggressive batting and ability to finish matches under pressure have impressed the selectors.

The victory takes Rajasthan to 16 points, six clear of second-placed Kolkata Knight Riders. They are now on the verge of becoming the first team to qualify for the playoffs. Lucknow, on the other hand, remain in fourth place with 10 points.

Tags: #IPL2023, #RajasthanRoyals, #LucknowSuperGiants, #SanjuSamson, #KLRahul