IPL 2023: Rajasthan players meet Dalai Lama ahead of their match against Punjab Kings
May 17, 2023
Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], May 17 : The Rajasthan Royals (RR) squad on Friday met spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on their arrival in Dharamsala to play against Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League.
RR's Twitter handle shared a post where Rajasthan players were seen meeting Tibetan leader Dalai Lama.
English player Jos Buttler, Joe Root and a few other Rajasthan players visited the spiritual leader.
Rajasthan had lost their previous match against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Sunday.
RR not only posted the third-lowest total in IPL history, but it was also their second-lowest total in innings at the event. The defeat saw RR slipping to the sixth spot in the points table.
Coming to the match, run machine Faf du Plessis' composed innings of 55 off 44, his seventh fifty of IPL 2023, coupled with crucial attack innings under pressure from Glenn Maxwell (54 off 33) and Anuj Rawat(29* off 11) lifted RCB to a competitive 171/5.
Chasing 172, Rajasthan Royals were shocked early as Yashasvi Jaiswal (0 off 2) walked back to the hut off the second ball of the innings as he hit one uppishly straight to mid off, off Mohd. Siraj. Jaiswal's opening partner Jos Buttler (0 off 2) departed in the next over as he hit one straight to point off Wayne Parnell. Captain Sanju Samson walked back two balls later as he top-edged his pull off Parnell and Anuj Rawat took a good running catch.
RR then introduced Devdutt Padikkal, who walked in at No.5, as their Impact Player, replacing Chahal. Joe Root then survived a scare as he was given out LBW off Siraj but he reviewed it successfully as the Ball Tracking showed it was going over the stumps. RR lost another one in the Powerplay as Impact Player Devdutt Padikkal hit one powerfully to short mid-wicket where Siraj took a good low catch. RR lost half their side inside the six overs as Parnell trapped Root LBW. The batter reviewed it but Ball Tracking showed it was hitting leg - All three reds.
The collapse didn't stop there as Michael Bracewell joined the wicket-taking party as he had Dhruv Jurel caught at deep square leg in the next over. Shimron Hetmyer then went on the counterattack smashing three sixes in a row off Karn Sharma but after the joy there was despair in the same over as Ashwin was run out by a Dhoni-esque flick onto the stumps by keeper Anuj Rawat. Hetmyer's short little cameo of 35(19) ended in the next over as he mistimed his heave straight into the hands of the long-on fielder. Karn Sharma then sent back Adam Zampa and KM Asif in the 11th over as RR were bowled out for the third-lowest total in the IPL - 59.
