RAJASTHAN: It was on May 12, 2013 that Rajasthan Royals last played a home game at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. A few days later, three of their players were implicated in a spot-fixing scandal. One of the owners was accused of betting on matches.
The next two seasons, before the franchise was banned for two years following an inquiry, the Royals played their home games in Ahmedabad, largely because the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) was in the Indian cricket board’s bad books. Lalit Modi, the creator of the Indian Premier League (IPL) but now persona non-grata, still pulled the strings at the RCA, and Jaipur was frozen out as a result.
Times have changed, yet they remain just the same. Where once an IPL game in Jaipur meant Modi buzzing around on the sidelines in his beige linen suit, it now means massive cut-outs and posters of CP Joshi, the current RCA chief whose political allegiances lie elsewhere. One personality cult replaced by another.
“Welcome to our fortress,” said the lettering under a faux-palatial arch as you walked into the stadium. The sponsors’ billboards on either side of the walkway featured Ajinkya Rahane, the captain, Ben Stokes and Jaidev Unadkat. If you’d just landed from Mars, you wouldn’t know that Steve Smith – who was supposed to lead the team until Sandpapergate happened – had ever existed.
The fans are all too aware of what they have lost though. “I somehow feel that we’re jinxed,” said Rahul Dhamija, a local businessman who’s agog with excitement at seeing the team back ‘home’. “No other player can fill his shoes, but in leadership terms I feel it will be blessing in disguise as Rahane is a better captain.”
The diya, the earthern lamp, has powerful symbolism in this part of the world, and midway through the Rajasthan innings, we saw the 21st-century version of spreading light, as thousands of mobile phone torches switched on across the stands.
Mandakini Shalya has been a fan for more than a decade, and the Royals’ return is a very big deal for her. “Fans here are passionate about cricket, and the name Rajasthan Royals gives us a sense of belonging to IPL,” she said, even as she spoke of how there was next to no local connect within the squad.
“There’s only one local within the franchise’s leadership group. Everyone else is based out of Bombay or elsewhere. Mahipal Lomror (who played for India at the Under-19 World Cup in 2016) was the only Rajasthan player picked at the auction. And it was only recently that they included Dishant Yagnik in the coaching staff.”
She’s also disappointed that the franchise has had very few on-ground events to publicise the team’s return, with next to no opportunity for the fans to meet their heroes. But for Dhamija, such thoughts are secondary to the excitement of seeing a possible title tilt on a ground where they have always been hard to beat.
“It feels really good to have the heat, excitement and cheering for the home team at our stadium,” he said. “The sound of halla bol (raise your voice, the team anthem) gives me goosebumps.”
On Wednesday night, as rain kept the players off the field for nearly two and a half hours, more than 10,000 stayed on to watch Rajasthan clinch their first win of the season. By the time the presentations were over, it was nearly 1am, but no one was complaining as they made their way home.
Shane Warne, who led Rajasthan to the title in season one, was in the dugout in his role as mentor, resplendent in his Jaipur-pink jersey. Since that highpoint, this is a franchise that has largely been in the news for the wrong reasons. Now, armed with a second chance, they want to put that chequered past behind them. “No controversy is big enough if you are a true fan,” said Dhamija with a smile.
Even the rain fails to dampen the spirits of the Royals fans as Rajasthan clinch first IPL win
Even the rain fails to dampen the spirits of the Royals fans as Rajasthan clinch first IPL win
- Royals still getting used to life without Steve Smith
- Shane Warne's team want to put their chequered past behind them
Freddy Schott wins maiden title after 3-way Bahrain Championship playoff
- The German beat Calum Hill and Patrick Reed after they all finished on 17-under after 72 holes
BAHRAIN: Freddy Schott won his first DP World Tour title after beating Calum Hill and Patrick Reed in a playoff at the 2026 Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship on Sunday.
The trio were locked together at 17-under par after 72 holes. This was after Reed shot 67 on Sunday to make up a four-shot overnight deficit to Hill, who began day two clear but had to settle for a 71 after a bogey. Schott carded 69 to join the pair.
Reed bogeyed the first playoff hole to drop out of contention and after Hill went out of bounds second time round, before sending his fourth shot into the water, he sportingly conceded without making Schott putt for the win.
Schott, who was presented with the trophy by Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, said: “I have no idea. It’s just amazing, I’m just extremely happy, surprised ... I don’t know what’s happening right now. I’m just so happy.
“I could have done it the regular way, that would have also been fine. But to do it this way feels even more special so I’m just glad it happened this way.”
Hill, who equaled the course record of 61 in Friday’s second round, added to his two-shot overnight lead with an opening birdie after a superb approach, with Schott responding at the second before both players birdied the next.
The Scot was four clear after another gain at the fifth but bogeyed the sixth while Schott made birdie, cutting the lead to one before drawing level with a birdie at the next.
Schott bogeyed the eighth but led anyway as Hill made a double, and a birdie at the 10th took the German two ahead, only for a double-bogey of his own at the 11th to leave the pair all square again.
“It was tough, especially towards the end,” said Schott.
“The start was okay, because I was playing alright. It had good flow to it. Obviously, nerves kicked in from the back nine onwards. I was happy that I managed it okay, not perfect, but okay, and you guys saw what happened, so I’m very happy now.
Sergio Garcia had joined the leaders by that point after responding to an opening bogey with three birdies in four holes from the third and another three in succession from the ninth, as had Reed after his fifth gain of the day at the 12th.
Daniel Hillier carded six birdies in a blemish-free 66, his second six-under-par round of the week, to set the clubhouse target at 16-under as the leaders still on the course battled for supremacy.
Schott, Hill and Reed all reached 18-under with back-to-back birdies, Reed at the 13th and 14th with his rivals a hole behind.
Garcia’s challenge was left hanging by a thread after a double-bogey at the par-five 14th, as he eventually finished alongside Hillier on 16-under, and Reed dropped a shot at the 16th.
Schott and Hill missed the 17th green to the left before escaping with good chips, but while Hill holed his par putt, Schott made bogey.
Reed set a new clubhouse target of 17-under but when his birdie putt at the last agonizingly stayed up on the short side, Hill had a one-shot lead down the last.
But he sent his approach to the extreme left of the green, leaving a nasty putt up the slope by the side of the green which he was unable to get close. Schott was in similar territory but closer in, allowing him to save par while Hill made bogey to set up the playoff.
Reed found the bunker with his 73rd tee shot and went from there to the edge of another, with Schott and Hill both hitting the fairway and then the heart of the green.
Schott holed for par and despite a superb effort at his up-and-down, Reed was unable to respond and dropped out of contention. Hill held his nerve as he and Schott went back to the tee.
The Scot sent his next tee-shot out of bounds to the left, with Schott only just avoiding the water in response. He sent his approach right of the green but Hill found the water with his fourth and conceded after Schott chipped on.
Hill and Reed shared second with Garcia and Hillier fourth and France’s Ugo Coussaud a shot further back in sixth.
The championship provided invaluable experience for emerging golfers, with local players gaining exposure competing alongside Major champions and multiple DP World Tour winners.
Ahmed Alzayed, Ali Alkowari and Khalifa Almaraisi all teed it up at Royal Golf Club this week, with former Masters champions Garcia and Reed, and three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington.
While the cut proved elusive, the experience of competing at the highest level of professional golf will prove invaluable.
“The competition comes to an end, but it’s not the end for me, I think it’s just the beginning,” said Alkowari.
“I’m happy with the result this year. I played 20 shots better than last year, so there are improvements. Hopefully, if I’m playing next year, it will be even better. Who knows, maybe even making the cut.”
A record crowd of 13,186, a 30 percent increase on last year’s attendance, watched the action across the four days.
