IPL 2023, CSK vs RR: Rajasthan Royals Prevail Despite MSD's Final Over Antics
MS Dhoni playing a shot against RR [Image- Twitter]
MS Dhoni's vintage power-hitting at the death wasn't enough for the Chennai Super Kings as the Rajasthan Royals eked out a 3-run win at the Chepauk in another thriller of a game.
Chasing 176, the Chennai Super Kings got off to a poor start as their run-machine Ruturaj Gaikwad fell to Sandeep Sharma for a 10-ball 8 after he skied an attempted flick straight to Yashasvi Jaiswal.
However, Ajinkya Rahane, as he did in the previous game, came out all guns blazing as he played some delightful strokes against both pace and spin to race to 19 off 11 deliveries in the Powerplay.
With the ball turning and gripping, Rajasthan had already invoked Adam Zampa as their 'Impact Substitute' in the final over of the first innings and had a fearsome spin-trio to tackle CSK's batting might.
Meanwhile, Rahane and Conway kept ticking off boundaries almost every over between 6-9 to take CSK to 76/1 at the end of 9 overs.
However, Ashwin soon had his revenge as he had Rahane (31 off 19) trapped plumb in front in the next over. This exposed two southpaws against the off-spinner as Shivam Dube came to the crease to join Conway.
Ashwin showcased his wizardry once again as he got one to turn big away from Dube, before getting one to skid straight into his pads. The umpire immediately raised his finger and Dube too didn't bother challenging it. But replays later confirmed that it would have missed the leg stump.
This triggered another collapse as Moeen and Ambati Rayudu holed out at deep square-leg and deep-mid-wicket off Zampa and Chahal respectively in successive overs to leave CSK reeling at 103/5 at 14.1.
Conway brought his half-century (off 37 deliveries) during the same over but Chahal soon had his revenge as the former holed out to a diving Jaiswal at cover point following a mistimed lofted drive.
In walked MS Dhoni to an amazing reception, and with 54 needed off 18, he wielded his long handle to smash a four and a six off Zampa to reduce it to 40 off 12.
Jadeja, who struggled initially, finally got his timing right in the penultimate over as he went on to smash Holder for a four and a couple of sixes to bring it down to 21 off the last six.
With 21 to defend against Dhoni, Sandeep felt the nerves as he ended up delivering consecutive wides. He did nail a yorker on the following delivery before dishing out a juicy full tosses, which Dhoni duly dispatched for consecutive sixes to send his fans into absolute frenzy.
It eventually boiled down to 5 off the last delivery, but, this time, Sandeep held his nerves to dish out a perfect yorker, which Dhoni could only drill straight down the ground for a single in what proved to be an anti-climatic finish.
Jos Buttler once top-scored for RR
Earlier, the Rajasthan Royals once again came out all guns blazing as Yashasvi Jaiswal smashed a couple of fours in the first over of their innings.
However, Jaiswal was soon undone by the hard length ploy from Tushar Deshpande in the following over as he mistimed an attempted pull shot to give an easy catch to Shivam Dube at mid-off.
Devdutt Padikkal too made his intentions pretty clear from the outset as he smashed Maheesh Theekshana for a couple of fours in the next over.
Theekshana could have dismissed Padikkal in his next over after the mystery spinner induced an outside edge off the left-hander's bat, only for Moeen Ali to shell the opportunity at 1st slip.
And, to add further salt to his wounds, Jos Buttler proceeded to hammer the Lankan spinner for a six and a couple of fours in the 5th over.
Padikkal backed it up with consecutive fours off Deshpande in the next over to help RR scale the 50-run mark (57) at the end of the powerplay.
The duo turned on the heat in the next two overs as they took Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen Ali for 29 runs, with Buttler hammering his compatriot for a couple of sixes.
With 86 runs already on the board after 8 overs and the likes of Sanju Samson and Shimron Hetmyer to follow, it looked as if RR were on course for a huge total.
However, Jadeja, as he has done many times during his IPL career, turned the game within a space of 6 deliveries as Padikkal (holed out backward square-leg) packing for 38 (26) before knocking over Samson for a silver duck with an absolute peach.
Jadeja could have had R Ashwin too in the same over but the thick outside edge off the latters' bat wasn't held on by Ali.
CSK tightened the screws in the next 4 overs as Ashwin and Buttler struggled to get the likes of Jadeja and Sisanda Magala away. Ashwin managed his first 17 runs in 18 deliveries but he was able to make up for it by smashing Akash Singh for a couple of sixes.
He eventually holed out to Magala in the same over but the wicket came at the cost of the latter dismissing himself.
Buttler brought up another half-century (i. 33 deliveries) shortly, but he failed to convert it into a big knock as an ugly hoick off Moeen brought about his downfall.
Shimron Hetmyer smashed a few lusty blows in the end (2 fours and 2 sixes for his 18-ball 30*) to ensure Rajasthan breached the 170-run mark at the end of 20 overs.
Jadeja was the pick of the bowlers for CSK and gave away just 21 runs in his full quota besides taking 2 wickets. RR eventually managed to clinch the game and got two more important points to strengthen their position in the points table.
Brief Scores
Rajasthan Royals: 175/8 (20)
Jos Buttler 52 (36), Shimron Hetmyer 30* (18);
Ravindra Jadeja 2/21 (4), Akash Singh 2/40 (4)
Chennai Super Giants: 172/6 (20)
Devon Conway 50 (38), MS Dhoni 32* (17);
R Ashwin 2/25 (4), Y Chahal 2/27 (4)
Rajasthan Royals won by three runs.
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