In a high-scoring encounter in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, Rajasthan Royals defeated Chennai Super Kings by 33 runs at their home ground in Jaipur. The hosts, led by a brilliant knock from opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, posted a mammoth total of 203 runs after being asked to bat first. Jaiswal scored 77 runs off just 43 balls, while Jos Buttler chipped in with 27 runs at the top of the order. The CSK bowlers were put under the pump right from the start as the Royals raced to 64 runs in the first six overs.
Chasing the imposing total, Chennai got off to a decent start, with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis adding 28 runs for the opening wicket. However, they quickly lost du Plessis and Moeen Ali to be reduced to 36/2 in the 5th over. Gaikwad, who was playing his natural game, hit some delightful shots before getting out for a well-made 47 off 33 balls. Shivam Dube, playing his first match for CSK, showed some glimpses of his big-hitting ability, scoring 53 runs off just 31 balls. However, he didn’t get enough support from the other end as wickets kept falling at regular intervals.
In the end, CSK fell short of the target by 33 runs, as Rajasthan bowlers kept a tight leash on them in the last few overs. The defeat saw CSK drop down to the third spot in the points table, while RR climbed to the top spot with four wins from five matches.
Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, CSK skipper MS Dhoni admitted that the target was quite above par and the first six overs of the Royals innings took the game away from his team. “It was quite a bit above par score. The reason was the first six overs, we gave away too many in the first six. At the same time, the wicket was best to bat on at that period. Then our bowlers bowled well in the middle overs but even when we were finishing, there were a few edges that went for boundaries, and that kept adding to the score,” he said.
Overall, it was a disappointing performance by the CSK team, who had convincingly won their previous two matches. The bowlers, who have been their strength this season, failed to contain the RR batsmen, while the batting unit struggled to keep up with the required run rate. For RR, it was a much-needed win after their loss in the previous match and they will look to carry this momentum forward in the upcoming matches.
