IPL 2022: Knocks by Samson, Hetmyer guide RR to 152/5 against KKR after initial setbacks

Samson played a knock of 54 runs while Hetmyer scored a quick 27 off 13 balls and gave Rajasthan a decent total after an initial fall of wickets.

Put to bat first, Rajasthan started off on a bad note as they lost the wicket of their opener Devdutt Padikkal, who got caught and bowled by Umesh Yadav, with just 7 runs on the board in the third over. Skipper Sanju Samson joined opener Jos Buttler at the crease and the duo anchored the innings.

They slowly took their side across the 50-run mark in 8 overs and kept the scoreboard moving. Their duo finally broke after Tim Southee dismissed Buttler in the 9th over, leaving the team's total at 55/2. Karun Nair came to the crease with Samson and provided his side with some momentum.

Anukul Roy then struck and sent Nair to the dugout in the 14th over of the innings, with 90 runs on the board. It was followed by Riyan Parag, who came and smashed two sixes and a four to keep Rajasthan in the game. But his journey was also short-lived as he also fell prey to Southee's spell and got caught by Anukul Roy in the 17th over.

Rajasthan faced another blow when Shivam Mavi dismissed Samson, who got caught by Rinku Singh in the 18th over, leaving the team's total at 115/5. Then Shimron Hetmyer and Ravichandran Ashwin came to the crease and completely changed the phase of the game.

The duo smashed a total of 20 runs in the 19th over, which was bowled by Southee. Hetmyer hit two back-to-back sixes and brought Rajasthan back into the game.

Hetmyer played a knock of 27 runs off 13 balls and brought Rajasthan to a total of 152/5 at the end of the first innings.

Kolkata Knight Riders now need a total of 153 runs from 120 balls to register their fourth win of IPL 2022.

Brief scores: Rajasthan Royals 152/5 (Sanju Samson 54, Shimron Hetmyer 27*; Tim Southee 2/46) vs Kolkata Knight Riders. (ANI)