Guwahati/UNI: It was not the start to life in Guwahati that Rajasthan Royals hoped for as they succumbed to a five-run loss to Punjab Kings in their Indian Premier League match at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
Opting to bowl on a flat deck, the Royals bowlers found it hard to restrict a free-scoring Punjab team that posted a daunting 197/4 in their 20 overs.
In reply, though the Men in Pink pushed hard and kept themselves in the match till the very end, it wasnt enough.
Despite the result, skipper Sanju Samson inspired many with his knock of 42 while Caribbean showman Shimron Hetmyer (35) and Impact Player Dhruv Jurel (32) left a lasting impression with some fearless batting at the death.
Earlier, R Ashwin (1-25) and Jason Holder (2-29) displayed some top-notch bowling under pressure to keep the Royals in the fight till the latter half of the match.
Brief Scores: Punjab Kings 197/4 (20 overs) beat Rajasthan Royals 192/7 (20 overs).
