Jaipur record 10-wicket win in opening RPL match

Jodhpur: All-round Jaipur recorded a comprehensive 10-wicket win over hosts Jodhpur in the opening match of the Rajasthan Premier League (RPL) at Barkatullah Khan Stadium in Jodhpur on Sunday. After seamer Ashok Sharma (3-1-11-3) and left-arm spinner Shubham Garhwal’s (4-0-21-3) destructive spells, it was openers Divya Gajraj (47* off 41 balls) and Sumit Godara (52* off 35 balls) who smoothly chased down the 102-run target in 12.4 overs.Having decided to bowl first, Ashok’s opening spell of two overs in the Powerplay, where he recorded figures of 2-1-8-3, put Jaipur immediately in a commanding position as Jodhpur were bundled out in 18.5 overs. The hosts could only manage 38/3 in the first six overs. Right-arm seamer Ashok struck twice in his first over. His first scalp was a caught and bowled dismissal of Jodhpur skipper Abhijeet Tomar who left the crease without opening his account. His second victim, Devesh Agarwal too left without scoring a run after he was bowled in the second over. Ashok’s third wicket was Anshul Garhwal (7 off 7 balls) who was caught at deep square-leg.If it was Ashok at the start, it was Jaipur captain Shubham who ensured wickets fell at regular intervals in the middle overs.Jodhpur’s only hope was opener Bharat Sharma. He put up a brave front to score 51 off 38 balls, but failed to find a partner to rely on. He looked like stitching a partnership with Shubham Sharma (16 off 18 balls), but it did not last for more than 36 runs.