'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABdAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAcQAAICAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECABEEYQMSFCEiAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABBhEAAgMBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIAAyETMf/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8AyjOC5yM3Mt9lpq+ew2Vo3uQ+Njr6CEAbiJK1M3JdPphSzEaZ/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) player Abhishek Sharma took an extraordinary catch on the boundary ropes to dismiss Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Sanju Samson in their IPL 2023 opener at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday, April 2.
The incident took place in the 19th over when Samson smashed a full-length delivery from T Natajaran towards the deep mid-wicket boundary.
Abhishek was on the edge of the boundary cushion. He took the catch and balanced himself to perfection, despite juggling near the ropes.
Scroll below to watch Sanju Samson’s dismissal:
Sanju Samson departed after scoring 55 runs off just 32 balls at a strike rate of 171.88, including four sixes and three boundaries.
The right-hander will look for another breakthrough season with the bat in his pursuit of making his Team India comeback.
The 28-year-old amassed 458 runs in 17 games at a strike rate of 146.79, which included two half-centuries, as RR finished runner-up in IPL 2022. They lost to Gujarat Titans (GT) in the final, who lifted their maiden title in their inaugural season.
Sanju Samson-led RR set a 204-run target against SRH
A clinical batting performance from openers Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Sanju Samson helped the Rajasthan Royals post 203/5 in their allotted 20 overs.
While Buttler smashed 54 off just 22 balls, Jaiswal contributed 54 off 37 deliveries. Together, the duo scored the highest powerplay score of 85 runs. Shimron Hetmyer also chipped in with an unbeaten 22 off 16 balls.
For SunRisers Hyderabad, Fazalhaq Farooqi and T Natarajan picked up two wickets each, while Umran Malik returned with one wicket.
Chasing 204, SRH were 38/3 after seven overs, with Mayank Agarwal and Washington Sundar at the crease.
Trent Boult dismissed Abhishek Sharma and Rahul Tripathi for ducks in the very first over. Harry Brook, who was bought for ₹13.25 crore, also failed to deliver in his IPL debut, scoring 13 off 21 balls. The England batter was bowled by Yuzvendra Chahal.
Click here to follow SRH vs RR live score.
