Sangakkara backs captain Samson after Rajasthan's narrow loss

MUMBAI - Rajasthan Royals team director Kumar Sangakkara has given his backing to captain Sanju Samson after he turned down a single against Punjab Kings on the penultimate ball to retain strike but failed to hit the winning runs on the last ball in Monday's Indian Premier League game.

Rajasthan needed five runs from the last two balls of the final over at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, with Samson unbeaten on a brilliant 119 in their thrilling chase of 222. Having hit seamer Arshdeep Singh for a six on the fourth ball of the over, Samson refused to take a run on the next and sent back a shocked Chris Morris, leaving Rajasthan needing five runs to win.