RR beat KXIP by 15 runs | Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab, Highlights And Cricket Score 40th T20 Match - Commentary

Right, we're done and dusted here. Rajasthan bag two vital points, move to 6th place and also make it a clean 5-0 record at home against Punjab. A good night for them. Punjab suffer a defeat against the home side in the return fixture, they are still third but they'd like to improve certain areas. Moving on, the next game is between Kolkata and Mumbai at the Eden Gardens on 9th May at 2000 local (1430 GMT). Do join in for that. Cheers!

Jos Buttler is declared as the Man of the Match. His 82 off 58 was instrumental in Rajasthan getting off to a flying start and eventually, getting a total which proved to be good enough for a win.

Rajasthan were right on the money with the ball. They needed early wickets with a total just about par, and they got just that as Krishnappa Gowtham provided a double breakthrough in a single over. The rest then chipped in as the game went on. What they did best though, was that despite Rahul scoring, they kept the other end tight and eventually got the rewards for it. A special mention for Jofra Archer, he was stupendous in the death with this yorkers and ensured the hitting to be done came too little too late. A good, clinical effort from the hosts, they needed this performance and the win.

Spare a thought for KL Rahul. He was the lone man standing for Punjab as he fell 5 short of what would have been an impressive ton. With a target of 159 to chase, the visitors didn't get off to the best of starts. Lost three wickets inside the Powerplay and most of the damage was done then and there. The rest who followed after that, couldn't hang around long enough as wickets kept falling at regular intervals. Rahul was the only one to put up a real fight, but he alone could not get the job done.

Jaydev Unadkat to Lokesh Rahul. FOUR! Another boundary, but RAJASTHAN WIN BY 15 RUNS! Rahul carries his bat through but it goes in vain. Unleashes the reverse paddle to find the third man fence, is left stranded on 95. Heartbreak for him.

Jaydev Unadkat to Lokesh Rahul. FOUR! Boundary, all but over now though. Full and outside off, Rahul brings out the reverse paddle and clears short third man's head to send it across the rope.

Jaydev Unadkat to Lokesh Rahul. Technically a dropped, but such a difficult chance. Full on the stumps, Rahul hammers it right back at Unadkat. He tries to catch it but takes a blow on his forearm. No run taken.

Jaydev Unadkat to Lokesh Rahul. SIX! Makes full use of it. It's full and outside off, Rahul gets behind the ball and launches it over wide long off for a maximum. This is now his highest score in this edition of the Indian T20 League.

Jaydev Unadkat to Lokesh Rahul. No ball! High full toss from Jaydev, Rahul walks across the line to paddle scoop it, but only inside edges it towards square leg. No run taken, he wants to face the Free Hit coming up now.

Jaydev Unadkat to Andrew Tye. Full in length, attacking the stumps, Tye drills it towards mid on for a single.

Andrew Tye is the new man in.

Jaydev Unadkat to Marcus Stoinis. OUT! Stoinis has to make the long walk back! Low full toss wide outside off, Stoinis carves this over covers. Hits it flat and that becomes his undoing. Straight to Gowtham out in the deep who takes it above his head. Holds a cool pose too as he puts the ball in his pocket and stands there with his arms folded. Lovely.

Jofra Archer to Lokesh Rahul. FOUR! Three in a row. Once more, goes across and lifts it over short fine leg to find the fence. 32 required off the last over. Too much left probably for Punjab to do.

Jofra Archer to Lokesh Rahul. FOUR! Consecutive boundaries for KL! Fuller around off, Rahul goes across and scoops it over short fine leg for a boundary.

Jofra Archer to Lokesh Rahul. FOUR! Good adjustment from KL Rahul. Credit to Archer too, he did well actually. Seeing Rahul walk across the stumps, he bowls it wide outside off. Rahul prepares for the paddle at first, but then quickly adjusts and slaps it through mid off. Unadkat gives it the chase, but can't keep it in. Boundary.

Jofra Archer to Lokesh Rahul. Archer and yorkers - a better love story than Twilight. Superb. Fires it in, on the stumps this time, Rahul works it through mid-wicket and gets a couple of runs for it.

Jofra Archer to Marcus Stoinis. Another yorker from Archer, outside the line of off stump, Marcus digs it out in front of cover and brings Rahul on strike.

Jofra Archer to Lokesh Rahul. Slower length delivery just outside off, Rahul walks across his sticks and sweeps it over backward square leg. The fielder in the deep comes inside and restricts the single to just the one.

Jaydev Unadkat to Marcus Stoinis. Beautifully bowled. Yorker darted outside off, Stoinis manages only an inside edge back to Buttler on a couple of bounces.

Jaydev Unadkat to Lokesh Rahul. Speared full and wide outside off, KL looks to play the reverse paddle but toe-ends it square on the off side. Single taken.

Jaydev Unadkat to Marcus Stoinis. On a length again, on off, slapped after backing away to long off for a single.

Jaydev Unadkat to Marcus Stoinis. Marginally ahead of a length, on off stump, Marcus makes room and lofts it to the left of long off. Will get two runs comfortably.

Jaydev Unadkat to Lokesh Rahul. Waits for the ball to come, and then runs it down to third man for a single.

Jaydev Unadkat to Lokesh Rahul. FOUR! Positive start to the over from Rahul. Gives the charge to this back of a length delivery and pulls it over mid-wicket for a boundary.

Jofra Archer to Marcus Stoinis. Another yorker, excellent over from Jofra Archer. Stoinis can only squeeze it out on the off side. 57 required off the last 3 overs.

Jofra Archer to Marcus Stoinis. Slower bouncer on the stumps, Stoinis doesn't pick it up and fails to play any kind of shot.

Jofra Archer to Lokesh Rahul. Yorker attacking the stumps, Rahul squeezes it out to point for one.

Jofra Archer to Marcus Stoinis. Similar to the previous two deliveries. It's worked away on the leg side for a single.

Jofra Archer to Lokesh Rahul. Rahul once again makes room, Archer follows him again, this time with a yorker. KL can only squeeze it out on the leg side for a single.

Jofra Archer to Marcus Stoinis. Stoinis makes room so Archer follows him with a full ball on the pads. The Australian lofts it over mid-wicket and gets to the other end.

Jofra Archer back into the attack.

Jaydev Unadkat to Marcus Stoinis. Another slower one, fraction straight in line, Stoinis moves inside the line and works it in front of square leg for a run.

Jaydev Unadkat to Marcus Stoinis. Slower length delivery outside off, Stoinis cuts, but finds backward point.

Jaydev Unadkat to Lokesh Rahul. Cut away square on the off side for another one.

Jaydev Unadkat to Marcus Stoinis. Length ball outside off, slightly slower in pace, Stoinis gives the charge and swings. Gets a bottom edge behind to the right of the keeper for a single.

Jaydev Unadkat to Lokesh Rahul. Cutter outside off, coming back in, pushed through extra cover for one.

Jaydev Unadkat to Lokesh Rahul. Angling back from a length on the stumps, Rahul flicks it through square leg. Big gap out there, the batsmen easily manage to come back for the second.

Jaydev Unadkat comes on to bowl.

Strategic break signalled. 67 runs needed off the last five overs. The two men out there are the best ones for the job. Can they do it? Or will Rajasthan pull off a vital victory? Some interesting action is coming either way.

Ish Sodhi to Lokesh Rahul. Punched down the ground to long on for a run.

Ish Sodhi to Marcus Stoinis. The batsman rocks onto the back foot and punches the ball. They pick up a single.

Ish Sodhi to Lokesh Rahul. Another square cut, single this time.

Ish Sodhi to Lokesh Rahul. Leg break, spinning away from around off, Rahul cuts it through point and comes back for the second.

Ish Sodhi to Lokesh Rahul. Comes forward and buries the spinning ball in its tracks.

Ish Sodhi to Marcus Stoinis. Picks it off his pads and works it away on the leg side for a single.

Ish Sodhi back on.

Anureet Singh to Lokesh Rahul. FOUR! 9th Indian T20 League fifty for KL Rahul! Another one in his tally. He's been in sublime touch this season, needs to finish this game off. Pulls this short ball away through mid-wicket for a boundary.

Anureet Singh to Marcus Stoinis. Slower short ball outside off, Stoinis plays the ramp shot to third man and takes a single.

Anureet Singh to Marcus Stoinis. Back of a length close to off, Stoinis defends it back to the bowler.

Anureet Singh to Axar Patel. OUT! Excellent throw from Binny in the deep. Axar slogs across the line through mid-wicket and quickly calls for the second. Binny from wide long on moves to his left, gets to the ball and fires in an accurate throw to Buttler, who takes the bails off in a flash. Axar dives in and the decision is taken upstairs. Replays show he's gone. Punjab in trouble here now. 78 off 39 needed to win. Marcus Stoinis is the next batsman in.

A run out appeal against Axar Patel. It looks close. Really close. Could go either way...

Anureet Singh to Axar Patel. FOUR! Length delivery on the stumps and it's the slower one, Axar picks it up and lofts it over mid-wicket for a boundary.

Anureet Singh to Axar Patel. Slower short ball on middle and leg, Axar pulls it away through backward square leg. Fine leg comes across to his right and keeps the batsmen to two.

Anureet Singh on to bowl.

Krishnappa Gowtham to Axar Patel. The batsman has played it towards mid-wicket. They pick up a single.

Krishnappa Gowtham to Lokesh Rahul. Worked away through mid-wicket and gets off strike.

Krishnappa Gowtham to Lokesh Rahul. Outside off, Rahul plays and misses.

Krishnappa Gowtham to Axar Patel. The batsman has driven that ball straight back. One run added to the total.

Krishnappa Gowtham to Lokesh Rahul. Works it around the corner and takes one.

Krishnappa Gowtham to Lokesh Rahul. FOUR! Oh dear... Rahul just about survives. Gowtham has been superb tonight. Bowls it around off, it spins in sharply and beats the inside edge of Rahul's hanging bat. Past the off stump and the keeper and it races away to the fence behind.

Axar Patel comes into the middle next. Also, Krishnappa Gowtham is back on to bowl.

Ben Stokes to Manoj Tiwary. OUT! Stokes gets his first of the game. Tiwary fails to make an impact. Length ball on off, angling in as Tiwary looks to work it across the line. Spoons a leading edge towards Rahane at cover who dives forward and takes a good catch.

Ben Stokes to Lokesh Rahul. Kicking off the surface outside off, cut away square on the off side through point. One run taken.

Ben Stokes to Lokesh Rahul. Length delivery in the off stump channel, Rahul takes a step across and flicks it to the right of deep mid-wicket. Two runs taken.

Ben Stokes to Manoj Tiwary. The batsman has nudged the ball fine down the leg side. The batsmen have run through for a single.

Ben Stokes to Manoj Tiwary. Short of a good length outside off, Tiwary offers a solid punch square on the off side. Straight to the point fielder.

Ben Stokes to Lokesh Rahul. Fuller and straighter in line, Rahul clips it down to fine leg and jogs across to the other end.

Ben Stokes is back.

Ish Sodhi to Lokesh Rahul. Pushed to the cover region by the batsman. The batsmen have run through for a single.

Ish Sodhi to Lokesh Rahul. Darts it quicker on leg, it's going down and catches Rahul low on the pads as he misses his flick shot.

Ish Sodhi to Manoj Tiwary. No spin on this occasion, on middle stump, clipped in front of square on the leg side for a run.

Ish Sodhi to Lokesh Rahul. Slower through the air, on off, Rahul kneels down to play the reverse sweep. Gets it off the forearm and over the slip fielder. Leg bye taken.

Ish Sodhi to Manoj Tiwary. Easily knocks the full ball towards long off. One run added to the total.

Ish Sodhi to Manoj Tiwary. Bit quicker through the air, full outside off, Tiwary gets low and drags the sweep through mid-wicket for a brace.

Mahipal Lomror to Manoj Tiwary. Flicked away in front of square leg for a single. The batsmen wanted the second but the fielder was too quick to the ball.

Mahipal Lomror to Lokesh Rahul. Played to the point region by KL. They pick up a single.

Mahipal Lomror to Manoj Tiwary. Goes with the spin and pushes it into the covers for just the one.

Mahipal Lomror to Lokesh Rahul. Stays within his crease and pushes it comfortably to long on for a single.

Mahipal Lomror to Lokesh Rahul. Floats it up outside off, drives it just wide of long off for a double.

Mahipal Lomror to Lokesh Rahul. FOUR! Superb shot. Rahul continues to play his shot. Sees the ball landed short, so he rocks back quickly and muscles the pull through the mid-wicket area for a boundary.

Manoj Tiwary is next in.

Strategic break. Rajasthan are on top here. We're not even at the halfway mark and 4 wickets are down. Though, Rahul is still out there and he showed last time out that he can take the game away late in the innings. Interesting phase of play coming up for both teams.

Ish Sodhi to Akshdeep Nath. OUT! Sodhi strikes! Nath departs. Looped up on off, it's the leg break and Nath kneels down to play the big slog sweep. A big top edge and it skies towards long off. Krishnappa Gowtham settles himself under the ball and takes a lovely reverse cup catch. Punjab need 114 runs to win in 11 overs.

Ish Sodhi to Akshdeep Nath. Good delivery. Nice flight on that as Sodhi pitches it on off, on a driving length. Nath goes deep inside the crease and taps it down on the off side.

Ish Sodhi to Lokesh Rahul. Spinning away, cut away square through point for an easy single.

Ish Sodhi to Lokesh Rahul. Slightly short in length, this time KL blocks from the back foot.

Ish Sodhi to Lokesh Rahul. Leg break full on off, Rahul comes forward and defends.

Ish Sodhi to Lokesh Rahul. Googly landed just outside off, Rahul is a bit cramped for room as he backs away to cut. Gets it away past first slip but no run taken.

Mahipal Lomror to Lokesh Rahul. The batsman has punched the ball off the back foot to long on. One run added to the total.

Mahipal Lomror to Akshdeep Nath. Flighted ball on the stumps, it's swept past short fine leg for a single.

Mahipal Lomror to Akshdeep Nath. FOUR! Shot. Charges out of the crease, opens his body up and goes inside out through covers. Nicely done from Nath, it will fetch him a boundary.

Mahipal Lomror to Akshdeep Nath. Comes forward to this full delivery and blocks with the full face of the bat.

Mahipal Lomror to Akshdeep Nath. Another one through the same area, better placement this time. It will fetch the batsmen two good runs.

Mahipal Lomror to Lokesh Rahul. Drives this sweetly through the covers and gets off strike.

Mahipal Lomror to have a go with the ball.

Ish Sodhi to Akshdeep Nath. Flatter, quicker and straighter outside off, Nath misses his attempted reverse paddle.

Ish Sodhi to Lokesh Rahul. Punched through to sweeper cover for one.

Ish Sodhi to Lokesh Rahul. Sharp turn! Wowza! Sodhi pitches it on leg and it turns past the edge and the off stick. Into the keeper's gloves and that's a superb delivery.

Ish Sodhi to Akshdeep Nath. Drags it short around off, pulled away to deep mid-wicket for one.

Ish Sodhi to Akshdeep Nath. Another shout, no chance this would be given out. Nath skips down the track and looks to work it across the line, is caught on the pads and there's no chance the umpire would respond to the appeal. The batsman was too far out.

Ish Sodhi to Akshdeep Nath. Safe! Interesting... the trajectory looked different in real time. Hmm.. Anyway, Nath is safe. Sodhi lands it on off, it turns a touch and catches Nath on the front pad. Loud shout, turned down but the Kiwi wants to review it thinking it's pad first. It's taken upstairs and replays show it is pad first, but it's missing the off stump. The turn took it away.

What do we have here? A review straightaway. It's for an lbw decision against Akshdeep Nath. Possibly pad first? Let's see...

Ish Sodhi to roll his arm over.

Ben Stokes to Lokesh Rahul. Good effort there from the fielder. Rahul drives this towards cover, where the fielder makes a good stop. Nath wanted the run, but was sent back.

Ben Stokes to Lokesh Rahul. FOUR! Finds the gap this time. Wasn't a bad ball at all, but that's an excellent shot from KL. Just ahead of a length on the fourth stump line, Rahul drives it through the gap in the covers and sends it across the boundary line.

Ben Stokes to Lokesh Rahul. Leans ahead and drives it to covers. Dot ball.

Ben Stokes to Lokesh Rahul. Angling in on a good length on off, Rahul gets a safe leading edge towards covers.

Ben Stokes to Lokesh Rahul. Full and straight from Stokes, KL with a beautiful straight bat drives it back down the track. It goes off the Stokes and rolls away towards mid off.

Ben Stokes to Lokesh Rahul. FOUR! Almost. Just over the fielder. Full and wide outside off, Rahul slices this, barely, over the leaping fielder at backward point for a boundary.

Ben Stokes introduced into the bowling attack.

Jaydev Unadkat to Akshdeep Nath. Shaping away from a good length on off, pats this with a slightly opened face to point for nothing. Tight over from Unadkat comes to an end.

Jaydev Unadkat to Lokesh Rahul. Behind a length on off, tapped down in front of backward point. The batsmen are off their lines quickly and cross over with ease.

Jaydev Unadkat to Lokesh Rahul. Skidding off the deck a bit, on a length on off, KL offers a firm punch to the man at point.

Jaydev Unadkat to Lokesh Rahul. Fraction straight in line, Rahul wrists it in front of square leg and takes two.

Jaydev Unadkat to Akshdeep Nath. Another edge. This time there was a slip in place too but it's gone well wide of him. Back of a length angling across, Nath closes the face a bit early and spoons a leading edge through short third man. One run taken.

Jaydev Unadkat to Lokesh Rahul. Angles across a length delivery outside off, Rahul plays away from his body and gets an edge through the vacant slip cordon. It rolls down to third man and a single is taken. The man in the deep does well to mop it up.

Jaydev Unadkat brought on to bowl.

Jofra Archer to Akshdeep Nath. Pounds a back of a length ball on off, too close for Rahul to do anything but block it down on the off side.

Jofra Archer to Lokesh Rahul. Behind a length with width offered outside off, cut square through point for a run.

Akshdeep Nath to bat next.

Jofra Archer to Karun Nair. OUT! GONE! Another wicket down. Karun Nair departs. Rajasthan are off to a superb start. Archer bangs it in short on off, Nair looks to pull but the bounce gets too big on him. Gets a top edge which balloons towards mid-wicket, where Unadkat backpedals and takes a tumbling catch.

Jofra Archer to Karun Nair. Archer slightly takes the pace off on this occasion, bowls it on a back of a length. Karun Nair stays back and gets an inside edge onto his pads.

Jofra Archer to Lokesh Rahul. Nice played. Leans across a bit and then whips the length ball on middle to deep square leg. One more to the total.

Jofra Archer to Karun Nair. Good length delivery in the channel outside off, Nair with an open face runs it down to third man and crosses over.

Krishnappa Gowtham to Lokesh Rahul. The batsman has pushed it to the cover region. A successful over from Gowtham comes to an end. 2 wickets and 4 runs off it. Superb.

Krishnappa Gowtham to Karun Nair. Leans ahead, it's full in length. Nair drives it to long off for a single.

Krishnappa Gowtham to Lokesh Rahul. Gets close to the pitch of the ball with a little shimmy down the track and knocks it to long on for one.

Krishnappa Gowtham to Karun Nair. Nair gets off the mark with a little flick off the pads onto the leg side. Single taken.

Karun Nair to bat next.

Krishnappa Gowtham to Ravichandran Ashwin. OUT! The move to promote himself up the order has failed miserably. The Punjab skipper is gone on the second ball. Gowtham lands it outside off, just behind a driving length, Ashwin with no foot movement looks to go big downtown. It spins in, goes right through the gate and knocks the bails over.

Krishnappa Gowtham to Ravichandran Ashwin. Outside off, pushed into the covers for no run.

Ravichandran Ashwin is the next batsman in. What a surprising move. Nobody would have seen that coming. Not sure the motive behind the move.

Krishnappa Gowtham to Chris Gayle. OUT! Gayle is gone! Krishnappa Gowtham gets the breakthrough. Superb delivery. Probably knows Gayle is going to charge out, and he does, so Gowtham fires it full and down the leg side. Gayle misses and Buttler behind the stumps whips the bails off in a flash. No need for the replays, the square leg umpire raises his finger instantly. Wide signalled, but Rajasthan won't care. They have the big wicket of the West Indian.

Jofra Archer to Lokesh Rahul. SIX! Uses the pace of Archer and clears the fence this time. Short ball banged in, Rahul makes room, comes down the track and sends it sailing over deep backward point for a maximum.

Jofra Archer to Lokesh Rahul. This is the beauty of the Powerplay for the batsmen. Just clear the infield and you're safe. Rahul does just that. Full in length, he backs away and lifts it over cover-point. Picks up two runs for it.

Jofra Archer to Lokesh Rahul. Opens the face of the bat and dabs the shorter ball straight to point.

Jofra Archer to Lokesh Rahul. On the shorter side of the length, a touch further outside off this time, KL rises on his toes and drops it down on the off side.

Jofra Archer to Lokesh Rahul. Keeps it close to off and bowls it on a back of a length, Rahul from within his crease blocks it out.

Jofra Archer to Chris Gayle. Short of a good length, moving away from around off, Gayle throws his bat and it and cuts it down to third man for a single.

Jofra Archer to bowl from the other end.

Krishnappa Gowtham to Lokesh Rahul. Waits for the ball to come to him before running it down to short third man. Good, tidy first over from Gowtham.

Krishnappa Gowtham to Lokesh Rahul. Straighter one outside off, fullish in length, pushed to the covers again.

Krishnappa Gowtham to Lokesh Rahul. Full in length, outside off, Rahul drives it hard but finds the man at cover.

Krishnappa Gowtham to Lokesh Rahul. FOUR! Shot. Makes use of the feet to get close to the pitch and lofts it cleanly over covers to find the fence.

Krishnappa Gowtham to Lokesh Rahul. Loud shout for a leg before, denied! Good call from Buttler, Gowtham wanted the review but he was adamant to not go for it. Floated up around off, not much turn on it as Rahul gets low to sweep. Fails to connect and is rapped on the front pad. The keeper says the impact is outside off, and replays confirm he's right. Well done.

Krishnappa Gowtham to Lokesh Rahul. Quicker one just outside off, Rahul meets it with a straight bat and pushes it away from him.

We are back for the chase! Punjab's two dashing openers, Chris Gayle and KL Rahul, stride out in the center. The Rajasthan players take their position and have given Krishnappa Gowtham the new ball. A slip is in place. Let's see how they go about their defense.