Buttler steals the spotlight once again in another last-ball thriller
In yet another enthralling contest in the IPL, Jos Buttler played the hero's role as he guided his team Rajasthan Royals to a sensational victory against Kolkata Knight Riders. Chasing a daunting total of 224, Buttler remained unbeaten on 107 to take his team over the line on the last ball of the match.
Though Sunil Narine's blistering knock of 109 went in vain, it had put Kolkata in the driving seat. However, Buttler had other plans and single-handedly shifted the momentum with his scintillating batting. At one stage, he went 15 balls without finding the boundary but made up for it with some exquisite strokeplay in the death overs. With Rajasthan needing 9 runs off the final over, Buttler clobbered the first delivery for a six to light up the contest.
The nail-biting finish saw Rajasthan get over the line with just a single required off the last ball. Buttler showed immense composure and skill to steer his team home despite the pressure mounting. His innings aided Rajasthan's position at the top of the points table.
Earlier, Narine had lit up the Eden Gardens with his career-best knock. The Kolkata batsman smashed 13 fours and 4 sixes in his 49-ball 109. He shared a crucial 85-run stand with youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi to help Kolkata post a strong total. Though skipper Shreyas Iyer continued his inconsistent run with the bat, Narine's fireworks had given his team a commanding position.
However, Buttler had other ideas and once again underlined his status as the best finisher in white-ball cricket currently. His masterclass guided Rajasthan to their ninth win to stay firmly in control at the summit. The result meant Kolkata's playoff hopes will face further challenges.
