IPL 2021: Arshdeep's fifer derails Rajasthan after Lomror's blitzkrieg

Dubai, Sep 21 (IANS) Punjab Kings made a decent comeback thanks to their pace duo of Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Shami, who restricted Rajasthan Royals to 185/10 in their opening match of the UAE leg of the IPL 2021 here on Tuesday.

Rajasthan looked destined for a mammoth total at one stage but then Shami picked two wickets in the 19th over before Arshdeep scalped three in the 20th to bundle them out. Arshdeep finished with his maiden five-wicket haul in T20s - 5/32.

Yashasvi Jaiswal (49), Evin Lewis (36) and Liam Livingstone (25) set the base for the middle and lower order to make merry but barring Mahipal Lomror' cameo of 43, the others Rahul Tewatia, Chirs Morris and Riyan Parag failed to put the finishing touches to this innings.

Every time when RR were on top, Arshdeep was brought back into the attack and he delivered with some crucial wickets. He also became the third-youngest bowler to take a five-wicket haul in an IPL game. Arshdeep has now got the third-most wickets (11) among Indians in the last two seasons in the death overs behind Mohammed Shami (17) and Jasprit Bumrah (13).

Meanwhile, Shami also showed a glimpse of form while Ishan Porel and Harpreet Brar chipped in with one wicket each. Adil Rashid who was playing his first IPL match was hammered for 35 runs in three overs.