IPL 2023: Jos Buttler carnage helps Rajasthan Royals register their highest powerplay score in match vs Sunrisers Hyderabad

SRH captain Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Washington Sundar had a torrid time in the first 6 overs, getting hit for 17 runs and 19 runs in an over respectively as Buttler went berserk. Owing to the blistering start by Buttler and his opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rajasthan reached 50 runs in just 22 balls with the Englishman bringing up his 50 in just 20 deliveries.

Cruise Control! 👍 👍 @josbuttler has kickstarted his #TATAIPL 2023 with a cracking FIFTY! ⚡️ ⚡️

This is his 1⃣6⃣th IPL half-century 👍 👍

Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/khh5OBILWy #TATAIPL | #SRHvRR pic.twitter.com/AmNz0gzOOO

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 2, 2023

Buttler’s 50 is also the fifth in the list of the fastest half centuries in IPL, with the swashbuckling batter himself topping the charts with his 18-ball 50 against the Delhi Capitals in 2018. He is followed by Owais Shah’s 18-ball innings vs RCB in 2012, RR captain Sanju Samson’s 19-balll effort against vs CSK in 2020 and Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 19-ball knock vs CSK in 2021.

Earlier, SRH stand-in skipper Kumar won the toss and opted to field against the Royals. The home side SRH handed debuts to England’s Adil Rashid and Harry Brook along with New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips and Mayank Agarwal. For Rajasthan Royals, the former West Indies captain Jason Holder and KM Asif made their debuts.

Senior India bowler Bhunveshwar is leading Sunrisers Hyderabad only for this game since their regular captain Aiden Markram is with the South African side on national duty.