IPL 2020, RR vs MI as it happened: Ben Stokes’s century powers Rajasthan Royals to 8-wicket win

RR WIN BY 8 WICKETS!
An absolutely phenomenal chase from the men in pink in Abu Dhabi to keep their playoff hopes alive. Stokes remains not-out on 107 (60), Samson is unbeaten on 54 (31). This is Pollard’s first loss in 16 games as MI captain.

CENTURY FOR BEN STOKES!
The left-hander gets there in 59 balls. This has been a magnificent knock from Stokes, he’s powering RR towards a memorable win.

After 18 overs, RR are 186/2 (Stokes 97, Samson 54)
A quiet over from Boult, just four from it. The left-arm quick finishes with figures of 0/40.

After 17 overs, RR are 182/2 (Stokes 95, Samson 52)
It’s all going Rajasthan’s way! Stokes pulls hard and the top-edge flies away for four. Ten runs come from Bumrah’s final over, he finishes with figures of 0/38. RR need 14 off 18.

After 16 overs, RR are 172/2 (Stokes 86, Samson 51)
Another huge over for RR, 15 runs from it. Trent Boult struggling to find the right line. Ben Stokes is nearing a century, can he get there? What a knock this has been by the English left-hander.

After 15 overs, RR are 157/2 (Stokes 71, Samson 51)
FIFTY FOR SANJU SAMSON! The right-hander gets to his half-century in just 27 balls. He has returned to form just when RR needed it. Some stunning shots by him tonight. Ben Stokes and Samson have added 113 runs off 69 balls for the third wicket! Brilliant strokeplay from the duo. RR are in firm control of the chase in Abu Dhabi.

After 14 overs, RR are 144/2 (Stokes 70, Samson 40)
MASSIVE over for RR! Stokes and Samson are putting on a show in Abu Dhabi! Both batsmen hit a six each in that Rahul Chahar over to give Rajasthan firm control of the chase. RR need 52 off 36.

After 13 overs, RR are 125/2 (Stokes 63, Samson 29)
What a shot from Sanju Samson! Stays still and thumps one from James Pattinson over long-off for six. Kieron Pollard looked impressed too. A great over for RR, 18 runs from it. They need 71 off 42.

After 12 overs, RR are 107/2 (Stokes 56, Samson 19)
Another good over, this time from Rahul Chahar. The RR batsmen are looking anxious now. They need 89 off 48.

After 11 overs, RR are 104/2 (Stokes 54, Samson 18)
Jasprit Bumrah returns to the attack and delivers a good over for MI, just four runs come from it. RR need 92 off 54.

After 10 overs, RR are 99/2 (Stokes 53, Samson 16)
FIFTY FOR BEN STOKES! The left-hander is showing his best when RR need it most. He gets to his half-century in 28 balls. Two fours and 11 runs come from Krunal Pandya’s second over.

Watch: RR’s Jofra Archer takes a brilliant one-handed catch to send back MI’s Ishan Kishan

Watch: Hardik Pandya produces one of the innings of IPL 2020 with a stunning 60* off 21 balls

After 9 overs, RR are 88/2 (Stokes 45, Samson 14)
Sanju Samson with a six over long-off. Superb shot that. Expensive over from Kieron Pollard, 13 runs from it.

After 8 overs, RR are 75/2 (Stokes 44, Samson 4)
After facing 123 deliveries, Ben Stokes gets his first six of the season. He follows that up with a reverse-sweep for four. The left-hander is looking good today, not trying to hit the ball too hard. He has already got to his highest score this season. 15 runs come from leg-spinner Rahul Chahar’s first over. Time for a strategic timeout.

After 7 overs, RR are 60/2 (Stokes 32, Samson 1)
Skipper Kieron Pollard joins the attack and slips in a quiet over, just five runs from it. This is a great opportunity for Sanju Samson to help his team get a much-needed win.

After 6 overs, RR are 55/2 (Stokes 30, Samson 0)
Jos Buttler survives! The left-hander gets two fours in that Krunal Pandya but the second one fell just away from Hardik Pandya at deep mid-wicket.

After 4.4 overs, RR are 44/4 – Smith is gone!
OUT! James Pattinson wins the battle of the Aussies as Steve Smith is clean bowled! Just as RR were starting to build momentum, MI strike again.

After 4 overs, RR are 41/1 (Stokes 17, Smith 11)
Another big over for RR! There are two world-class batsmen at the crease and they’re playing some exquisite strokes. This time Steve Smith gets a four and a six off Jasprit Bumrah. MI seem a bit rattled.

After 3 overs, RR are 29/1 (Stokes 16, Smith 0)
Four fours in the over! Superb batting from Ben Stokes! The left-hander takes Trent Boult apart with risk-free shots.

After 1.5 overs, RR are 13/1 – Uthappa is gone!
OUT! Robin Uthappa hits two fours in the over but then finds the fielder at mid-on. Just the start MI were looking for as James Pattinson strikes.

After 1 over, RR are 5/0 (Uthappa 5, Stokes 0)
Steady start from Trent Boult, just five runs from the first over. RR need Ben Stokes to fire, he has had a quiet tournament so far.

9.25 pm: RR need 196 to win. Robin Uthappa and Ben Stokes are at the crease. Trent Boult has the new ball. Here we go!

MI FINISH WITH 195/5
Carnage from Hardik Pandya at the death! He remains unbeaten on 60 off 21 with seven sixes and two fours. Wow! The right-hander destroyed Kartik Tyagi in the last over with three sixes and two fours.

After 19 overs, MI are 168/5 (Hardik 34, Krunal 2)
Absolutely brilliant from Jofra Archer. He takes a wicket and concedes just three runs in the 19th over to finish with figures of 2/31.

After 18.1 overs, MI are 165/5 – Tiwary is gone!
OUT! Saurabh Tiwary is dismissed for 34 off 25. The left-hander has played a good hand for MI. Archer gets the wicket as Stokes takes the catch in the deep.

After 18 overs, MI are 165/4 (Tiwary 34, Hardik 33)
Four sixes by Hardik Pandya in the 18th over! MI are having a strong finish in Abu Dhabi. Ankit Rajpoot finishes with terrible figures of 0/60 in his four overs.

Perhaps the catch of the tournament from Jofra Archer:

After 17 overs, MI are 138/4 (Tiwary 33, Hardik 8)
Big over for MI! And it’s Tiwary who takes Archer to the cleaners. Superb batting from the left-hander to pick up two fours and a six.

After 16 overs, MI are 121/4 (Tiwary 18, Hardik 6)
Dropped! Hardik Pandya survives as Rahul Tewatia doesn’t hold on to a catch he should’ve taken there at deep mid-wicket. Four overs remaining, MI would want to get close to 170.

After 14 overs, MI are 108/4 (Tiwary 10, Hardik 1)
Saurabh Tiwary steps out and hoicks one over mid-wicket for four. Rahul Tewatia finishes with figures of 0/25 in his four overs.

After 13 overs, MI are 101/2 – Pollard is gone!
OUT! RR are on fire! Shreyas Gopal picks his second wicket of the over as Kieron Pollard is clean bowled. He hit a six earlier but then completely missed on. MI are in trouble!

After 12.2 overs, MI are 95/3 – Suryakumar is gone!
OUT! MI lose both their set batsmen as Suryakumar departs for 40 off 26 after finding Ben Stokes at the boundary. Shreyas Gopal gets the wicket. RR are fighting back nicely.

After 12 overs, MI are 94/2 (Suryakumar 40, Tiwary 3)
Saurabh Tiwary is the new man at the crease for Mumbai Indians. Rahul Tewatia slips in a good over for RR, just three from it.

After 10.4 overs, MI are 90/2 – Kishan is gone!
WHAT. A. CATCH! Jofra Archer with arguably the catch of the tournament to dismiss Ishan Kishan. Kartik Tyagi gets the wicket, he can’t believe what he’s seen. That was sensational from Archer at the third-man fence. Kishan departs for 37 off 36.

After 10 overs, MI are 89/1 (Kishan 37, Suryakumar 38)
Smart cricket by Ishan as he finds the gap right of short-fine to pick up four. Ten runs from the Tewatia over for the MI batsmen without taking any risk.

After 9 overs, MI are 79/1 (Kishan 29, Suryakumar 36)
Interesting over from Shreyas Gopal. Suryakumar Yadav first gets a four with an inside-out drive over the infield. He then plays the same shot and the ball falls just short of a diving Rahul Tewatia in the deep. Surya then finishes the over with a thumping drive straight back for four. Time for a strategic timeout.

After 8 overs, MI are 67/1 (Kishan 27, Suryakumar 26)
Leg-spin from both ends for Rajasthan Royals as Rahul Tewatia joins the attack. Five runs come from that over.

After 7 overs, MI are 62/1 (Kishan 27, Suryakumar 21)
Leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal joins the attack and bowls a good first over, just three runs come from it. The MI batsmen look comfortable at the crease now.

After 6 overs, MI are 59/1 (Kishan 26, Suryakumar 19)
Two sixes! Suryakumar plays an audacious scoop before Ishan hits a flat pull. Poor bowling from Ankit Rajpoot, his captain doesn’t look impressed.

After 5 overs, MI are 45/1 (Kishan 19, Suryakumar 12)
The runs keep flowing for MI! Two fours for Suryakumar Yadav in that Kartik Tyagi over. The first one was an inside edge to fine leg and the second one was a hard flick to the right of deep square-leg.

After 4 overs, MI are 34/1 (Kishan 17, Suryakumar 3)
Big over for MI, 13 from it. Ankit Rajpoot a bit all over the place there. Ishan Kishan with a delicate cut through backward point and short-third for four.

After 3 overs, MI are 21/1 (Kishan 11, Suryakumar 2)
A superb over from Jofra Archer, just one from it. The English pacer is fired-up after getting the early wicket.

After 2 overs, MI are 20/1 (Kishan 10, Suryakumar 2)
Two fours in that Ankit Rajpoot over for Ishan Kishan – one fortuitous and one full of authority. Ten runs in the second over too for MI.

After 0.5 over, MI are 7/1 – QdK is gone!
Six and Out! Quinton de Kock pulls one a long way but then chops one onto his stumps. Jofra Archer strikes in the first over!

7.30 pm: MI are opening the batting with Quinton de Kock and Ishan Kishan. RR are opening the bowling with Jofra Archer. This is a crucial game for the Royals. Let’s go!

7.07 pm: Playing XIs
RR: Robin Uthappa, Ben Stokes, Sanju Samson (w), Jos Buttler, Steven Smith (c), Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Ankit Rajpoot, Kartik Tyagi.
MI: Quinton de Kock (w), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Saurabh Tiwary, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard (c), Krunal Pandya, James Pattinson, Rahul Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah.

7.03 pm: TOSS – Mumbai Indians have won the toss and will bat first! Kieron Pollard is leading MI today as well as Rohit Sharma is out with a left hamstring injury.

6.45 pm: Hello and welcome to live coverage of match No 45 of Indian Premier League 2020. Tonight, Steve Smith’s Rajasthan Royals take on Rohit Sharma’s Mumbai Indians in Abu Dhabi.