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Right then. The stage is set for Sunday evening in Ahmedabad. It'll be the local heroes, Gujarat Titans, going up against the Rajasthan Royals, in a replay of the first Qualifier. After putting on a show for the Gujarat crowd tonight, the Royals will be looking to settle the score on Sunday as they try to win their first IPL title since 2008. It'll be one against two, Titans against the Royals, and Hardik against Samson. Before that though, we've got the finals of the Women's T20 Challenge taking place tomorrow evening, where Harmanpreet Kaur's Supernovas will go up against Deepti Sharma's Velocity side. It's the finals weekend coming up and we wouldn't miss it for the world! See you tomorrow then? Same place, same time. Until then, this is the duo of Pratyush and Shashwat, signing off. Goodnight!
Jos Buttler: No not at all. I came to the season with very low expectations but a lot of energy and excitement. To be standing here now having has season I've had with my team is very exciting. I've had a season of two halves and had very honest conversations with people close to me. with Sangakkara and a few. I was feeling the pressure midway, and it was only about a week ago that I opened up about it and started talking about that. It helped me feel a bit better I went to Kolkata much more relaxed. I'm always trying to do what the game is asking me to go and use the skillset I have in a particular day. Certain times, it's tough and sometimes it is not working for me, and there are times when a younger me would have played a shot and got out. But it's something that Sanga has been saying that the longer you stay, at some point it will come. I came to today so excited. The thought of playing in front of hundred thousand people after a couple of years of playing in an empty ground. This is what the IPL is all about. Incredible support, fantastic support and it's very exciting. Great excitement to have the opportunity to play in the final of the biggest tournament in T20 cricket. Shane Warne has been such an influential figure for Rajasthan Royals, having led the team to success in the first season. We will miss him dearly but we know he's looking down on us with pride today.
Sanju Samson: It was tough but we are used to bouncing back in the IPL. A lot of ups and downs in such a tournament but we came back really well. Bowling first, the wicket was a bit sticky and helping the fast bowlers. There was a bit of bounce. Playing the spinners was easier but the pacers executed their plans well and changing their pace. Prasidh and McCoy did well and that partnership helped us. It was important to close things out well and bowl well in the middle overs but having Maxwell and DK at the end, we know what they could do. Having composure and the belief in our abilities and skill set to things was good. (On not winning tosses) Toss plays a huge role. The pitch played a bit differently in the second innings. He (McCoy) keeps it very simple. It's his first IPL and the way he is bowling and responding in tough situations suits the way he plays. He is very calm and composed and backs himself. (On Buttler)We are very fortunate to have Jos. Touchwood, one more match to go. I was playing an Under-16 final somewhere in Kerala and then saw the end of the chase when Shane Warne and Sohail Tanvir won it for Rajasthan Royals in 2008. That's our very vague memory I have.
Kumar Sangakkara: It's very satisfying. The planning, the hard work and the commitment has really paid off. It was a tough game, the last one to lose to Gujarat with 16 off the last over, but the way the guys have responded and picked themselves up has been great. There was a lot of support from the reverses and the support staff and we were very well taken care of the hotel staff here, which allowed us to focus on the game. It was a pretty special effort. (On Buttler) It's his overall game. He's got some pretty potent strengths and once he recognizes that and trusts those strengths to maneuver the bowlers to where he wants them to bowl is special. Even against spin, he has all the shots and the good thing about him is that can accelerate anything. Even if he's at 30 off 30, he has the ability to get 80 or 90 of 50 with the way he can switch gears. He is a pretty exceptional talent who thinks deeply about himself and the game, and just loves playing cricket and in the group we have. (On the bowlers) The entire bowling unit was outstanding. Special mention to Prasidh. He had 16 to defend in the last game but 3 sixes by Miller is a huge dent in your confidence but he responded strongly. The way he spoke to me and was honest with me and the rest of the group about what he could do better was really impressive to see. So was Boulty. And Obed McCoy, his mother has been quite ill back home, but he has been able to put that aside and has his focus here. She is recovering well. And as for Ashwin and Yuzi, they have run the show. At the auction table, we spent 90-95% of our purse on putting together our first XI. We worked hard on data to work on the players we wanted. We put emphasis on experience at the moment. We have a spattering of youngsters who will become stars later, but our first XI has a strong share of seasoned internationals. Full credit to Giles Lindsay, our analyst, Zubin Barucha and the rest of the staff. Wins don't just happen. It takes a lot of planning, hard work, execution behind the scenes and on the field. I remember playing against Rajasthan. Warnie was the captain and I got caught and bowled off him. Then they went on a dream run that year. We would look to get the basics right against Gujarat and do what's in our hands. Whoever plays better on that day will win.
Faf du Plessis (RCB captain): We were a little short. It was very challenging against the new ball. We could not quite get the momentum we would have liked. 180 was par on that pitch. The first six overs felt a bit like Test cricket - the ball nipping around and good carry. It was more about bounce than anything else. It eased off later in the innings and in the second innings as well. I am really proud. My first season coming in, how special the fans have been. A big thank you to everyone who has been supporting us. We have had some incredible performances. Hasaranga, Harshal, DK - all these guys have been picked for India deservedly so. We came up against a really good RR side that probably deserves to be there (in the final) more than us. (On the back-room staff) You have deep respect for the people in India. There are always people working till 3 in the morning and then they are up at 7. It is a very good part of Indian culture. (On next season) I think there is some really nice young talent in our squad. You get a few guys who are really raw and then turn them into superstars. Rajat is a really good find. You can pick three Indian teams from the IPL. (To social media followers) I have got some stiff competition (on social media) with Kohli. The amount of people that come for games and the amount of times people keep chanting "RCB, RCB". The support you get as a cricketer in India is incredible. You can only be in awe of the support that every franchise gets. Thank you very much.
Take a bow, Jos Buttler. Chasing a total of 158, he's singlehandedly dismantled Bangalore's bowling unit to put on a show for the capacity crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium and help his side get to their first IPL final since 2008. It's all set then. The Rajasthan Royals will play against the Gujarat Titans in the finals of the IPL 2022.
Jos Buttler is the man of the moment, there's little doubt about that, but take nothing away from the Rajasthan Royals bowlers. Most notably, Prasidh Krishna and Obed McCoy. They were the ones who set up this win, restricting RCB to an under-par total on an excellent surface.
From there on, it was the Jos, who started to boss around! Jaiswal set the tone at the top, smashing 16 off the first over against Siraj to put RCB under the pump and take the game away in the powerplay itself. Samson played a few shots himself alongside but once he perished, there were a few nerves around.
The Englishman knew what he was doing though. He took the game deep and ensured that he took responsibility as the experienced and set batter to help Rajasthan over the line and on the verge of their first title since the maiden IPL season in 2008.
Gujarat Titans against the Rajasthan Royals then. That's the memo for Sunday evening, folks. It should be a cracker, shouldn't it? For now, stick around for the presentations.
18.1 Harshal Patel to Jos Buttler, SIX! BUTTLER FINISHES IT IN STYLE! Half-tracker on middle and leg stump. Buttler gives himself room and absolutely clatters it over deep mid wicket for a maximum! What a way to reach the final and RR have completely deserved the victory tonight! Superb all-round performance! And that man Buttler. That's it. That's the story!
Harshal Patel 3.0-0-23-0] is back into the attack
Hundred number 4 in this year's IPL for Jos Buttler. Cometh the hour, cometh the man! This crowd is cheering for Rajasthan Royals right now but they won't be doing the same come Sunday, will they? Just 3 needed now in the last three overs.
18
overs
155/3score
1
1
1
1
2
1
runs
Jos Buttler*
100(59)
Shimron Hetmyer
2(3)
Glenn Maxwell
0/17
17.6 Glenn Maxwell to Jos Buttler, HUNDRED FOR BUTTLER! WHAT A PLAYER! WHAT AN INNINGS! Full delivery outside off stump. Buttler comes forward and eases it towards deep cover point. Takes off his helmet and basks in the applause! The best T20 batter on the planet, and it isn't even a contest anymore!
17.5 Glenn Maxwell to Jos Buttler, length delivery on middle and leg stump. Buttler has a swing at it and times it well enough. But the ball plugs and long on has the chance to rein it in. Drama!
Anticipation builds around the ground again...
17.4 Glenn Maxwell to Shimron Hetmyer, length delivery on off stump. Hetmyer gets onto the back foot and knocks the ball down the ground towards long on for a single
17.3 Glenn Maxwell to Jos Buttler, back of a length delivery on leg stump. Buttler gets onto the back foot and works the ball into the on side towards deep square leg for a single
Buttler one hit away from a century.
17.2 Glenn Maxwell to Shimron Hetmyer, full delivery on middle and off stump. Hetmyer lunges forward and tucks the ball off his toes towards deep backward square leg for one
17.1 Glenn Maxwell to Jos Buttler, length delivery on leg stump. Buttler goes back and pushes the ball into the on side towards the sweeper at deep mid wicket for a single
Glenn Maxwell [2.0-0-10-0] is back into the attack
Three overs to go. Ten runs to win. No prizes to guess which side is ahead in this game, eh? A repeat of the Qualifier 1 is on the cards for the Finals of IPL 2022. Another half-century on the cards for Buttler, still. Will he register his fourth this year?