Rajasthan Royals Triumph Over CSK by 6 Runs
Rajasthan Royals secured their first victory of IPL 2025 with a thrilling six-run win over Chennai Super Kings, handing CSK their second consecutive defeat. Led by Nitish Rana’s blistering 81 off 36 balls and Wanindu Hasaranga’s crafty wrist spin, RR successfully defended 182 despite a strong chase by Ruturaj Gaikwad and a late fightback from Ravindra Jadeja.
Batting first, RR totalled 182 for 9, thanks to Rana's attacking innings and 37 from Riyan Parag. Rana took advantage of his good match-up against Ravichandran Ashwin, hitting 108 runs off 58 deliveries against him in the IPL before being eventually dismissed. He kept going strong as he hammered Ashwin for back-to-back boundaries before getting stumped off a wide ball. The explosive beginning enabled RR to recover from early dismissals of Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal to set a good total.
Chennai Super Kings' pursuit relied on Gaikwad, who made 63, steadying the innings. Hasaranga's variations, and especially his wrong'uns, put a stop to CSK's momentum. He ended on commanding figures of 4 for 35, laying bare CSK's weaknesses in the middle order. Although Jadeja tried a late rescue with an unbeaten 32 off 22 balls, the target proved to be just beyond reach.
In the last over, when CSK required 19 runs, RR opted to give the ball to Sandeep Sharma instead of Jofra Archer. Sharma struck straight away, getting rid of MS Dhoni for 16 off 11 balls with his first legitimate delivery. He kept his cool to deny CSK, securing a deserved victory for RR.
In spite of the close margin, RR dominated the game for most of the game, displaying their prowess with bat and ball alike. The win gives a fillip to RR's campaign, while CSK will seek to bounce back from consecutive losses in their next matches.
