Sanju Samson Equals Shane Warne's Record as Rajasthan Royals Captain

Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has etched his name in the history books of the Indian Premier League (IPL) by equaling the record of legendary leg-spinner Shane Warne for the most wins as captain of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) franchise. Samson achieved this milestone after guiding RR to a thrilling four-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL 2024 Eliminator match on Wednesday.

Both Samson and Warne now stand tall with 31 victories as the skipper of the Jaipur-based team. Rahul Dravid follows closely in third place with 18 wins, while Steven Smith has led RR to 15 victories, occupying the fourth spot.

The match between RR and RCB was a closely contested affair. RR won the toss and elected to field first. RCB's batters got starts but failed to convert them into substantial knocks. Rajat Patidar (34), Virat Kohli (33), and Mahipal Lomror (32) were the top scorers for RCB, restricting them to 172/8 in their allotted 20 overs.

Avesh Khan was the standout bowler for RR, claiming 3/44. Ravichandran Ashwin (2/19) and Trent Boult (1/16) also played crucial roles in keeping RCB's run-rate in check.

In the chase, RR got off to a solid start, with Yashasvi Jaiswal (45) and Tom Kohler Cadmore (20) putting on a 46-run opening stand. However, RCB bowlers applied pressure, restricting the run-flow and picking up wickets. RR found themselves in a spot of bother at 112/4 in 13.1 overs.

But Riyan Parag (36) held one end up before he was dismissed, while Shimron Hetmyer (26) and Rovman Powell (16*) launched a late assault on RCB's bowlers. They smashed boundaries and sixes to guide RR to a four-wicket victory with an over to spare.

Mohammed Siraj was the pick of the bowlers for RCB, taking 2/33. Ashwin was adjudged the 'Player of the Match' for his all-round performance.

With this victory, RR has advanced to Qualifier 2, where they will face Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on May 24 in Chennai. The winner of that match will qualify for the final against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on May 26.

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