A superb unbeaten 70 from Jos Buttler could not stop Rajasthan Royals falling to a four-wicket defeat against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League on Tuesday.
The England batsman and Rajasthan opener's 47-ball innings helped his team reach 169-3 in their 20 overs at Wankhede Stadium, with Devdutt Padikkal (37) and Shimron Hetmyer (42 not out) also making decent contributions.
And Bangalore looked in trouble at 87-5 after 13 overs but Shahbaz Ahmed (45) and Dinesh Karthik (44 not out) helped flip the game on its head and push their team to victory with five balls to spare in Mumbai – handing Rajasthan their first defeat of this year's IPL.
“I made a conscious effort to do justice to myself,” player of the match Dinesh Karthik said after the match. “I felt I could have done better in the last few years.
“The way I've trained has been different. I was telling myself I'm not done yet. I have a goal and I want to achieve something.
“I've made an effort to play white-ball cricket, practice matches and scenarios. Those are the hours you put in when no one sees. The real work is done in the lead-up, which is what I'll give credit to.”
Earlier, Buttler – who made 100 in the team's previous win over five-time champions Mumbai Indians – and Hetmyer, whose knock came off 31 deliveries, boosted Bangalore's total.
The right-left batting pair put on an unbeaten stand off 83 for the fourth wicket as they plundered 42 runs off the final two overs after being put into bat. Buttler raised his 50 with a hit over the fence and smashed six sixes in his innings. He also put on a key stand of 70 with Padiakkal.
The way I've trained has been different. I was telling myself I'm not done yet. I have a goal and I want to achieve something
Dinesh Karthik
In reply, skipper Faf du Plessis and Anuj Rawat started strongly with an opening stand of 55 before Yuzvendra Chahal broke through to send back the veteran South African out for 29.
Chahal then ran out of Virat Kohli, for five, at the non-striker's end and bowled David Willey with his next ball.
But Karthik and Shahbaz had other ideas as the pair produced an attacking partnership of 67 to give Bangalore, who hunt for their maiden IPL title, their second successive win.
“I can't pinpoint a moment [when the game was lost],” admitted Rajasthan captain Sanju Samson, whose team had beaten Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians in their previous two matches.
“It was a great effort to put in that total, after losing the toss. Think it was a respectable score, but when the dew is coming up … I think it's a great effort by my team.
“As a bowling unit you like to take your time and set your fields. There are a lot of positives to take, and we can learn a lot of things, too.”
The language of diplomacy in 1853
Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)
We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.
Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULTS
5pm: Sweihan – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m
Winner: Shamakh, Fernando Jara (jockey), Jean-Claude Picout (trainer)
5.30pm: Al Shamkha – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: Daad, Dane O’Neill, Jaber Bittar
6pm: Shakbout City – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Ghayyar, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: Gold Silver, Sandro Paiva, Ibrahim Aseel
7pm: Masdar City – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: AF Musannef, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Khalifa City – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Ranchero, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar
Results
5pm: Wadi Nagab – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Al Falaq, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer)
5.30pm: Wadi Sidr – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Fakhama, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
6.30pm: Wadi Shees – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Mutaqadim, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 – Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Bahar Muscat, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Wadi Tayyibah – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Poster Paint, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar
$1,000 award for 1,000 days on madrasa portal
Daily cash awards of $1,000 dollars will sweeten the Madrasa e-learning project by tempting more pupils to an education portal to deepen their understanding of math and sciences.
School children are required to watch an educational video each day and answer a question related to it. They then enter into a raffle draw for the $1,000 prize.
“We are targeting everyone who wants to learn. This will be $1,000 for 1,000 days so there will be a winner every day for 1,000 days,” said Sara Al Nuaimi, project manager of the Madrasa e-learning platform that was launched on Tuesday by the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to reach Arab pupils from kindergarten to grade 12 with educational videos.
“The objective of the Madrasa is to become the number one reference for all Arab students in the world. The 5,000 videos we have online is just the beginning, we have big ambitions. Today in the Arab world there are 50 million students. We want to reach everyone who is willing to learn.”
