Mumbai, Apr 12 (IANS): Punjab Kings skipper K.L. Rahul was close to scoring the first century of this Indian Premier League season. His hopes, however, were dashed as Rajasthan Royals spinner Rahul Tewatia pulled off a stunning catch at deep mid-wicket boundary.

The Punjab franchise skipper, who got the Orange cap last season for most runs in IPL 2020, fell nine short of a century, getting dismissed for 91 off 50 deliveries.

At the start of the last over of Punjab Kings' innings, Rahul was batting on 87. He smashed the first ball from left-arm pace bowler Chetan Sakariya over extra cover for four. The ball was slower but Rahul picked the pace and length and hammered it to boundary.

Rahul needed just nine to get to his ton and had five balls. The odds were heavily stacked in his favour, going by the way he was batting.

He tried to hit the next ball over mid-wicket boundary but Tewatia at the boundary rope caught the ball which was behind him and going over the rope. The momentum was pushing Tewatia out of the boundary but before tipping over he threw the ball back into the field and then dived into the field of play after having crossed the rope to take a sensational catch.