Jos Buttler Shell-Shocks SRH with Fastest Fifty Of The IPL 2023

image-lfza04s4Jos Buttler in action [Source: Twitter]

As expected, swashbuckling English batter Jos Buttler has started his IPL 2023 campaign with a bang, smashing a magnificent counter-attacking fifty in Rajasthan Royals' first group-stage fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Buttler, who hammered 54 runs off just 22 balls, also recorded the fastest half-century of this season. 

Opening the batting alongside promising Indian batter Yashasvi Jaiswal, Buttler took on the SRH bowlers right from the word go. The veteran English keeper-batter initially negotiated his nemesis Bhuvneshwar Kumar and then went berserk as soon as the ball stopped to swing. 

After the first two overs, Buttler changed his gears, hitting a superbly timed six off Bhuvneshwar Kumar over the cow corner. And what we saw next was nothing short of carnage from the explosive English batter. 

Bhuvneshwar Kumar's decision to bowl Washington Sundar the fourth over backfired on SRH, as Buttler struck him 13 runs, including two huge sixes over mid wicket. He was unstoppable after that, as he targeted T Natarajan, taking 17 runs, including four glorious boundaries, off his bowling. 

Continuing his onslaught on the home side, the RR mainstay struck three fours off Fazalhaq Farooqi in the very next over to complete his half century. 

However, Farooqi took his revenge sooner than expected, cleaning up Buttler in the fifth delivery of the over. However, the damage was already done, as he had powered the Royals to 85 runs, the most in the power play this season. 

At the time of writing, RR are well-placed at 105 for 1 in 8 overs.