Sanju Samson’s blistering 74, late theatrics from speedster Jofra Archer with the bat, and Rahul Tewatia’s three-wicket burst propelled Rajasthan Royals (RR) to a comfortable 16-run win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match in Sharjah.
RR posted a mammoth 216 for seven wickets in 20 overs and three-time champions CSK finished with 200 for six wickets in 20 overs, despite a late surge from Faf du Plessis (72), at the Sharjah International Stadium.
RR lost their first wicket early, of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who fell to Deepak Chahar in the third over. However, Samson joined captain Smith, who opened the innings, and the pair put up a blistering 121-run stand off just 57 balls.
Samson led the charge, smashing as many as nine sixes and a four, as he put on 74 runs off just 32 balls.
CSK seemed to be clawing their way back into the match after Samson’s dismissal in the 12th over. Even as Smith dropped sheet anchor, his teammates departed one after the other at the other end. However, the wheels came off in the final over in which Ngidi, who had accounted for Samson earlier, leaked 30 runs due to a combination of Jofra Archer’s belligerence and unwanted extras.
Archer smashed four consecutive sixes off the first four balls, two of which were off back to back no-balls.
CSK had to break the record for the highest run chase in IPL history to win the match at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Openers Shane Watson (33) and Murali Vijay (21) ensured that CSK cross 50 within the first six overs. Rahul Tewatia (3/37), however, ensured that CSK did not exploit the slim chance that was provided by Watson. He dismissed the veteran Australian and later Sam Curran, who was striking the ball cleanly. Shreyas Gopal got the wicket of Vijay in the very next over after Watson was dismissed.
Tewatia also got the wicket of the busy Kedar Jadhav (22), thanks to a sharp one-handed catch by wicketkeeper Samson. du Plessis then tried to milk as many runs as he could from the ‘death’ overs. But when he fell for 72 off 37, CSK still needed 38 off seven balls to win. That became 38 to win off the last over when Ravindra Jadeja left the very next ball unharmed.
MS Dhoni (29) hit three consecutive sixes in the last over which helped his team reduce the margin of defeat to 16 runs.
Earlier, Samson smashed as many as nine sixes as he put up 121 runs with Steve Smith off just 57 balls for the second wicket.
Brief scores: RR 216/7 in 20 overs (Samson 74, Smith 69; S Curran 3/33) beat CSK 200/6 (du Plessis 72, Watson 33; Tewatia 3/37) by 16 runs
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