Sanju Samson led from the front with a blistering 55 as Rajasthan Royals opened their season campaign in the IPL with an emphatic 61-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad yesterday.
The captain, playing his 100th match for Royals who won the inaugural Indian Premier League edition under late Australian star Shane Warne in 2008, guided his team to 210 for six in Pune. Royals’ bowlers led by Prasidh Krishna, who rattled the top-order including dismissing skipper Kane Williamson for two, restricted Hyderabad to 149-7 despite an unbeaten 57 by Aiden Markram.
Leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal claimed three wickets to reach 250 scalps in T20 matches and pace bowler Trent bowler took two wickets.
Samson, a wicketkeeper-batter, remained the hero after he smashed three fours and five sixes in his 27-ball blitz and put on a key stand of 73 with Devdutt Padikkal, who made 41.
West Indies left-hand batter Shimron Hetmyer hit 32 off 13 balls and recorded two sixes. Hyderabad’s Umran Malik clocked speeds of over 148kmph (92mph) and claimed two wickets.

BRIEF SCORES
Rajasthan Royals 210/6 (Sanju Samson 55; Umran Malik 2 for 39) beat Sunrisers Hyderabad 149/7 (Aiden Markram 57*; Yuzvendra Chahal 3 for 22) by 61 runs.