IPL 2019: MS Dhoni and Ambati Rayudu take CSK to win against RR in memorable last ball thriller
The Chennai Super Kings defeated the Rajasthan Royals in a low scoring thriller by four wickets in the 25th match of the VIVO IPL 2019 played at Sawai Man Singh Stadium, Jaipur on Thursday.
CSK captain MS Dhoni won the toss and elected to field first. Ajinkya Rahane and Jos Buttler got the team off to a flying start putting pressure on CSK opening bowlers. Deepak Chahar got the breakthrough by dismissing Rahane for 14 runs. Rahane and Buttler added 31 runs in 2.5 overs.
Jos Buttler played some lovely strokes before Shardul Thakur dismissed him for 23 off 10 balls. Mitchell Santner dismissed Sanju Samson for six. At the end of six overs, Rajasthan Royals were 54 for three. After the Powerplay overs, the CSK bowlers kept picking wickets at regular intervals and never allowed Rajasthan Royals batsmen score runs easily.
However, Shreyas Gopal scored valuable runs in the final over from Shardul Thakur’s over helping Rajasthan Royals post 151 for seven in 20 overs. For CSK, Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur took two wickets each while Imran Tahir took one wicket.
Defending a target of 152 runs, the Rajasthan Royals got off to a perfect start as Dhawal Kulkarni dismissed Shane Watson in the first over. Suresh Raina was brilliantly run out by Jofra Archer as CSK were reduced to five for two.
CSK lost the wickets of Faf du Plessis and Kedar Jadhav to find themselves in big trouble at 24 for four. At the end of six overs, they were 24 for four. After the Powerplay overs, MS Dhoni and Rayudu steadied the innings with some great hitting, putting pressure on Rajasthan Royals bowlers. It was an amazing display of batting by both these batsmen. Rayudu reached his fifty off 41 balls while MS Dhoni took singles and showed his class.
In the 18th over, Ben Stokes dismissed Ambati Rayudu for 57 off 47 balls. Rayudu and Dhoni added 95 runs for the fifth wicket. Dhoni reached his fifty off 39 balls.
With 18 runs required off the last over, Ravindra Jadeja hit a six off the first ball. Ben Stokes then struck by dismissing MS Dhoni for 58. With 3 runs required, Mitchell Santer hit a six to register a memorable four wicket win.
CSK 155 for 6 in 20 overs (MS Dhoni 58, Rayudu 57, Ben Stokes 2/39, Jofra Archer 1/19) beat Rajasthan Royals 151 for 7 in 20 overs (Ben Stokes 28, Jos Buttler 23, Shreyas Gopal 19*, Ravindra Jadeja 2/20, Deepak Chahar 2/33, Mitchell Santner 1/25) by four wickets.
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