Jaipur: Rahul Shukla rocked the rival top-order with three wickets in an over before Brad Hodge hit a blistering fifty as Rajasthan Royals snapped Otago Volts’s 15-match winning streak with a four-wicket win in the Champions League Twenty20, here on Tuesday.
The hosts restricted the Kiwis to a modest 139 for seven following a fiery spell of fast bowling by Shukla and then overhauled the target with five balls to spare.
Shukla, who was included in place of Vikramjeet Malik, was called on to bowl the fourth over and he removed Hamish Rutherford (11) with his first ball, skipper McCullum (0) with third and Derrek de Boorder (0) with his fifth.
The saving grace of the Otago innings was a 53-run stand for the fifth wicket between James Neesham (32) and Ryan ten Doeschate (26), which gave a little respectability to the visitors.
Down the order, Nathan McCullum (28) and Ian Butler (25) added some useful runs.
The Royals’ 12th victory on the trot at home ensured that they finished atop Group A with 16 points and will now play their semifinal at home.
Royals’ win also keeps Mumbai Indians in the hunt for the semi.
Mumbai are third in the table with six points behind Volts (10).
Mumbai now need to win Wednesday’s match against Perth Scorchers and also have a better net run rate.
The hosts were struggling at 72 for four after a mid-innings collapse but Hodge smashed his way to an unbeaten 52 off 23 balls to script the win.
Hodge hit three sixes and five fours and completed his half-century and team’s win with a cover drive off Ian Butler.
Before Hodge arrived on the scene, opener Ajinkya Rahane hit a measured 52 off 48 balls to stabilise the innings. Hodge and Rahane formed a 44-run stand for fifth wicket.
After Rahane’s departure, the veteran Australian single handedly took the side to victory in an exciting finish. (PTI)
Brief scores:
Volts: 139/7, 20 overs (J Neesham 32, N McCullum 28*; R Shukla 3-23, K Cooper 2-33)
Royals: 142/6, 19.1 overs (B Hodge 52*, A Rahane 52; J Neesham 3-22, N Wagner 2-33)