JAIPUR: Off-break bowler Ajit Chandila performed the first hat-trick of the season to help Rajasthan Royals to beat Pune Warriors by 45 runs in the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League here at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Sunday.
This was eighth successive defeat for Pune Warriors in the tournament.
Batting first after captain Rahul Dravid won the toss, Rajasthan made 170 for four in the allotted 20 overs.
Ajinkya Rahane scored 61 with seven fours and Australian Shane Watson made 58 off 31 balls with four sixes and six fours.
For Pune, left-arm medium-fast bowler Ashish Nehra claimed three wickets for 23.
But Pune in reply made a disastrous start as off-spinner Chandila opening the bowling took two consecutive wickets in the first over and then got the third on the first ball of his second over to complete the hat-trick.
Then, Pune could not recovered from this pathetic situation and were restricted to 125 in 20 overs after losing nine wickets.
Chandila finished on four for 13 in his four overs and another off-spinner Johan Botha, from South Africa, claimed two for 25.
Steven Smith of Australia provided some resistance for Pune as he made 37.
