All-star of the match
For the second time in as many games, Sanju Samson batted in sprightly fashion to power Rajasthan Royals' innings. His 22-ball 37, this time against his former franchise Delhi Daredevils, propelled Royals from 28 for 2 in the fifth over to 90 for 3 in the 11th before he lost his stumps trying to sweep Shahbaz Nadeem.
It was a short innings, but one that had great value. Samson's counterattack allowed his partner Ajinkya Rahane to pace himself, while the 62-run partnership helped Royals set the base towards a sizeable total. Jos Buttler capitalised on Samson's platform, taking Royals beyond the 150-run mark before the rains arrived.
Samson had walked in when both D'Arcy Short and Ben Stokes were out cheaply. The first ball he faced - a quick one on off stump - was tapped towards cover, but that's all the respect Boult earned from the 23-year-old. The next ball, a short one outside off, was slashed over point to get off the mark. The very next ball, Samson pulled Boult's half-tracker over midwicket for six.
By the time Samson fell, Royals were set for a total well in excess of the below-par 125 they scored on Monday. The eventual target (adjusted by DLS) of 71 was, in the end, too much for Daredevils; the hosts clinched their first win of the season.
The wow moment
The two boundaries that Samson earned off Nadeem's left-arm spin in the ninth over were delightful for diametrically opposite reasons. The first, a short ball on middle stump, was put away over midwicket. The second, a length ball on off, was cut so delicately late that the commentary box gasped in wonder. Very few batsmen have the ability to make both those shots look equally sexy.
The numbers
Samson's dot-ball percentage was ridiculously low at 9.09%. Only two of his 22 deliveries were dots
What they said
"The team's preparation has been excellent. We had four camps even before the IPL season began."
Sanju Samson