British Asian Challenge T20 Half Time: RR On Top

If one believed Dominic Cork’s version of the groundsman’s dooms theory, rain should have washed away the match altogether. As it turned out, sunshine returned after an extensive amount of rain and Lord’s saw the Rajasthan Royals rocket to a good score against the Middlesex Panthers in the one off Twenty20 match in the British Asian Cup/Challenge.
The Rajasthan Royals who started cautiously before rain came calling, had their openers going for them while Mohammad Kaif laid anchor in an important role before Dmitri Mascarenhas accelerated his innings towards the end.
Faiz Fazal made twenty-seven, including two big sixes. But it was Swapnil Asnodkar’s forty-one from forty balls that pushed the scoreboard further as Murali Karthik effected the wicket of Fazal. Kaif then scored forty-one from thirty-five balls as he held the innings together, a role he was denied during the IPL 2 in South Africa.
Justin Langer’s much publicized Twenty20 debut in front of an international audience did not quite take off, being bowled by David Malan for just one run from two balls.
Mascarenhas then pushed the scoring rate further, making thirty-two off sixteen balls to push Rajasthan Royals to 162 for five from their twenty overs. There were no heroics for Tyron Henderson the bowler. Perhaps the batsman would come in handy.
Shilpa Shetty certainly would feel more optimistic about Rajasthan Royals and Shane Warne now.