RR down CSK, earn their maiden win in IPL 2025
What's the story
Rajasthan Royals claimed their first win of the Indian Premier League 2025 season, downing Chennai Super Kings in match number 11 in Guwahati on Sunday.
The match went down the wire with CSK needing 18 runs off 4 balls. RR prevailed in the end despite Jamie Overton slamming a six.
Earlier, RR posted 182/9 in 20 overs. CSK were restricted to 176/6.
RR innings
Summary of Rajasthan Royals' innings
RR were off to a poor start, losing Yashasvi Jaiswal in the first over to Khaleel Ahmed.
Rana came in and dazzled instantly. He looked like a man on a mission.
The 82-run stand with Sanju Samson had RR on the right track. Thereafter, another 38 runs were added alongside Riyan Parag.
After Rana's dismissal, RR lost steam as CSK bounced back strongly.
CSK bowlers
How did the CSK bowlers fare?
Khaleel picked 2/38 from his 4 overs.
Jamie Overton proved to be costly, giving away 30 runs from his 2 overs.
R Ashwin, who was tamed by Rana, claimed 1/46. He dismissed Rana with MS Dhoni completing a stumping chance.
Noor Ahmad was solid once again, taking 2/28 from 4 overs.
Pacer Matheesha Pathirana picked 2/28 (4 overs). Ravindra Jadeja managed 1/10 (2 overs).
Khaleel
Khaleel Ahmed attains this massive bowling feat in T20s
As per ESPNcricinfo, Khaleel has raced to 150 wickets in T20s from 117 matches at 24.32. The former Delhi Capitals bowler owns one four-fer and a fifer (ER: 8.36).
In the IPL, Khaleel has claimed 80 scalps from 60 matches at 24.70 (ER: 8.79).
This season, he owns six scalps from three matches at 15.83 (ER: 7.91).
Rana
Rana scores 58 runs in the powerplay
In the 2nd over itself, Rana dispatched CSK debutant Overton for a 4 and six. He didn't spare Overton in his next over as well before attacking Ashwin with two sixes and a four.
Rana tore apart Khaleel next and brought up a 21-ball fifty in the same over.
After six overs, RR were 79/1 with Rana stationed at 58(22).
Do you know?
Unique record for Rana in PP overs
As per Cricbuzz, Rana became the 5th IPL batter to clock a 50-plus score within overs 1-6 from No. 3 or lower. Suresh Raina, Moeen Ali, Ajinkya Rahane and Wriddhiman Saha are the other batters with this record.
Happening
Rana gets dismissed in the 12th over
RR were pegged back after the powerplay, scoring 8 runs in 2 overs in addition to losing Sanju Samson (20) with whom Rana shared a fifty-plus stand.
Despite RR's runs drying up, Rana continued to get the odd boundaries. In the 12th over, he dispatched Ashwin for a four and a six before being dismissed.
He chased a wide ball and was stumped.
Runs
Rana slams his 19th IPL fifty
Rana's 81 had 10 fours and five sixes. His strike rate was 225.
Former Kolkata Knight Riders stalwart Rana has raced to 2,736 runs from 110 matches (104 innings) in the IPL, as per ESPNcricinfo.
This was his 19th fifty. He averages 28.80 and his strike rate reads 136-plus. He has smashed 246 fours and 137 sixes.
Information
3rd fifty versus CSK
Versus CSK, Rana has amassed 365 runs from 12 matches at 36.50. This was his 3rd fifty against the Men in Yellow. He has struck at 138.78.
Information
Parag scores 37 runs for RR
RR's stand-in skipper Parag chipped in with a 37-run knock off 28 balls. He hit 2 fours and 2 sixes (SR: 132.14). Across 61 IPL innings, Parag now owns 1,239 runs at 24.29. He has struck at 135-plus.
Samson
4,500 IPL runs for Samson
Samson completed 4,500 runs in the IPL. Samson reached the landmark with his 2nd run.
Samson scored a 16-ball 20 before Noor Ahmad dismissed him.
The 30-year-old, who made his IPL debut in 2013, has now featured in 171 matches. He completed 4,500 runs in his 166th inning (now 4,518).
Samson owns 3,841 runs for the Royals in IPL.
CSK
Here's the CSK innings summary
Jofra Archer started with a wicket-maiden, dismissing Rachin Ravindra.
CSK struggled to get going before Rahul Tripathi and Gaikwad tried to bring some stability. The two added 46 runs.
After Tripathi's dismissal, Shivam Dube scored a 10-ball 18. CSK were reduced to 92/4 in the 12th over.
Gaikwad made his presence felt with a fifty thereafter but CSK failed to surpass RR's score.
Gaikwad
Gaikwad slams his 20th IPL fifty
Gaikwad scored a superb 44-ball 63. He struck at 143.18 in an innings laced with a six and 7 fours.
The star batter is closing in on 2,500 IPL runs, having raced to 2,496 at an impressive 41.60. This was his 20th IPL fifty (100s: 2).
Versus RR, he owns 273 runs from 8 matches at 45.50. He has slammed his 2nd fifty-plus score.
Information
Jadeja remains unbeaten on 32; Dhoni scores 16
Jadeja scored 32* from 22 balls. He smashed a six and 2 fours. On the other hand, MS Dhoni fell after making 16. He faced 11 balls, striking a six and a four. Overton scored an unbeaten 11 from 4 balls.
Hasaranga
Wanindu Hasaranga claims his 10th T20 four-fer
Sri Lankan spin maestro, Wanindu Hasaranga, was solid for the Royals. He finished with 4/35 from his 4 overs.
In 28 IPL matches, he now owns 40 scalps at 20.42. This was his 2nd four-fer in IPL. He also has a fifer under his belt.
Overall in T20s, the right-arm spinner has claimed 310 wickets from 214 matches at 16.60 (4w: 10, 5w: 3).
Records
Records made by Hasaranga
Hasaranga is now the third spinner in IPL history with a four-fer or more versus CSK. He joined Harbhajan Singh (5/18 MI vs CSK, 2011) and Brad Hogg (4/11 KKR vs CSK, 2015).
Meanwhile, Hasaranga is also just the second RR bowler with a 4-plus wicket haul vs the Super Kings after Sohail Tanvir's 6/14 in Jaipur in the inaugural edition.
Information
A look at the points table
After three games, RR have two points with their NRR being -1.112. They leapfrogged Mumbai Indians to take 9th place. CSK dropped down to 7th. They have two points from three matches (NRR: -0.771).
Do you know?
Abysmal record for CSK
As per Cricbuzz, since IPL 2021, CSK have lost each of the nine games in which they were set a 175-plus target. They won the toss in seven of these games, including Sunday.