IPL 2020: Jos Buttler scored an unbeaten 70 against Chennai Super Kings on Monday.© BCCI/IPL
Jos Buttler’s innings against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Monday in Abu Dhabi was nothing short of magical. On a slow pitch where the next best score from either side was 35, Buttler smashed 70 not out off just 48 balls with seven fours and two sixes. In appreciation of the Englishman’s match-winning knock, his Indian Premier League (IPL) team Rajasthan Royals (RR) posted a picture of “Buttler’s tricks” with the cricketer photoshopped as a magician. “Buttler’s tricks > Tricky pitch” read the caption, to which a Twitter user responded: “Magician Buttler.”
Chasing a modest total of 126, RR found themselves 31/3 at the end of the Powerplay with Ben Stokes, Robin Uthappa and Sanju Samson back in the pavilion.
Buttler got together with captain Steve Smith to rebuild the innings first and then take apart the CSK bowling to help his team to a comfortable win.
It was MS Dhoni’s 200th IPL match and Buttler received a souvenir from his batting idol after the game – the CSK shirt that Dhoni wore on this historic occasion.
With this victory, RR climbed to the fifth spot in the points table and kept their hopes alive of making the final four.
CSK, on the other hand, sunk to the bottom of the table and now depend on results of other games in addition to their own for a shot at the playoffs.
Promoted
CSK have made the playoffs in every IPL season that they have played thus far and have won the title three times – 2010, 2011 and 2018.
RR won the inaugural IPL in 2008 under the leadership of Shane Warne.